The climate fanatic who clung to the stadium during the US Open has broken his silence and insisted that Coco Gauff is behind his protest – despite it being met with strong reactions from thousands of tennis fans.
Sayak Mukhopadhyay told DailyMail.com that Gauff “supports” the stunt he and two other Extinction Rebellion thugs pulled off on Thursday evening, even as the tennis star admitted she would “rather” he had not done so.
“The disruption is nothing compared to the disruption caused by the climate,” he said, adding that his “intention” was to provoke a serious response.
After his anti-fossil fuel antics, the NYPD resorted to using acetone to snatch him away before killing him. taken to a hospital in Queens for psychiatric evaluation.
His comments came after Gauff’s semi-final showdown with Karolina Muchova was stalled for nearly an hour, prompting more than 20,000 sports fans to gather at Arthur Ashe Stadium to chant “You suck!” to roar. and ‘F*** you!’
Sayak Mukhopadhyay told DailyMail.com that the “intent” of his stunt was to stir anger and spotlight the perceived problem of fossil fuels
The troublesome protester glued his feet to the concrete floor below him, angering thousands after leading to a lengthy delay on Thursday evening.
In response to the climate protest – which was also seen at tennis’ other Grand Slam tournaments this year – Chris Widmaier, spokesman for the US Tennis Association, said he was increasing the number of uniformed and undercover officers around the gates and courts.
The tournament will also increase the frequency of messages on video boards in the arena telling spectators how to contact US Open security if they see anything unusual.
While Gauff admitted she was frustrated that the demonstration happened during her high-stakes match, she said she supports the essence of the protesters’ cause.
“I believe in climate change,” Gauff said at her post-match press conference. ‘I don’t know exactly what they were protesting against. I know it was about the environment.
‘I believe in that 100%. I think there are things we can do better. I know the tournaments are doing things to better protect the environment.”
“We really admire what she said,” Mukhopadhyay said the day after his stunt. “She was very supportive of what we were doing.”
The trio appeared to be members of the eco-fanatical group Extinction Rebellion, which has sparked outrage in recent years by disrupting events in the name of fighting global warming.
The protester glued his feet to the concrete at Arthur Ashe Stadium late Saturday evening
The fanatic was removed from the concrete after officers loosened his feet with acetone, and he was then taken to a hospital in Queens for psychiatric evaluation.
Mukhopadhyay proudly showed off a dried piece of glue with which he stuck himself to the stadium
‘It is not typical for sports people to support causes that corporate sponsors may not like.
“Obviously her game was disrupted and no one wants their game to be disrupted, and we completely understand that – but the disruption is nothing compared to the disruption caused by climate.”
He added that his extremist group — which hails from Britain and has repeatedly frustrated events in the name of global warming — has invited Gauff to a climate protest next week in Central Park.
The activist’s decision to glue his feet to the concrete floor angered more than 20,000 tennis fans packed into Arthur Ashe Stadium, but he admitted it was still a mild success thanks to the attention he attracted.
“It obviously got a lot of media attention and that was our intention,” he said.
‘Whether we will be successful in the long term remains to be seen. If fossil fuel projects are actually cancelled, then that is a sign of success.’
He wrapped up his remarks by taking a stab at President Biden’s record on climate action, claiming his administration has approved more fossil fuel projects than his predecessor, climate change denier Donald Trump.
Coco Gauff was clearly frustrated by the delay and did not want to leave the field with a single set lead
As the protesters kicked off, Gauff was clearly frustrated by the delay and did not want to leave, initially asking why they were “negotiating” with the protesters.
At one point she sarcastically asked if there was a ‘hostage situation’.
Her coach, Brad Gilbert, shouted at the tournament referee, “This is a joke!”, but then it became clear that the situation was more complicated when Mukhopadhyay chose glue instead of shoes as his footwear of choice.
Boos rang through the stadium as many fans were confused as to why it took almost an hour to clear the protesters, prompting a bulletin on the inside screens asking for “patience.”
The polarizing trio are part of the disruptive Extinction Rebellion Group, which has caused a stir on numerous occasions in recent years as members cling to famous paintings and climb onto structures.
The purpose of the politically charged entity is to cause civil disobedience as a means of highlighting issues related to alleged environmental degradation.
The maddening return this week comes after the group appeared to renounce public unrest in December, feeling that ruining people’s days did not bring supporters to their cause.
Many in the crowd were angry that the glued protester was not removed more quickly, as it took the NYPD time to dislodge the activist
When the delays were announced, both players had to busy themselves in the tournament room, with Gilbert Gauff giving a pep talk. Gauff was eventually recalled to the field 42 minutes after the final point was played.
Naturally, many around the nosebleed trio were dissatisfied with the crass behavior.
Audience members booed, hollered and shouted various commands, such as “sit down,” and even said “you suck” to the troublesome trio.
While ESPN gave a vague description, they acknowledged it was an “environmental protest.”
It is the latest in a recent series of protests at sporting events – and tennis in particular – over the use of fossil fuels.
At Wimbledon in Julytwo matches were interrupted when environmental activists jumped from the stands of Court 18 and threw orange confetti on the grass.
To a US Open tune tournament in Washington Last month, about a dozen people were asked to leave the site after chanting and displaying signs protesting the use of fossil fuels.