PGA Golf Event Disrupted by Climate Activists

Several climate protesters briefly disrupted the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, on Sunday, causing a temporary halt in the event and drawing the ire of both players and spectators.

Videos circulated on social media showed demonstrators storming the 18th green, releasing red or white powder as bewildered players looked on. The event was paused for approximately five minutes while police apprehended the protesters, amid boos and heckling from the crowd.

• Demonstrators wore shirts reading “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET.”

• Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for the disruption.

• Protesters faced charges of criminal mischief, trespassing, and breach of peace.

Each activist was released on a $5,000 bond and is due in court on July 1. The PGA Tour quickly cleaned up the powder without any damage to the green, and praised Cromwell police for their swift action.

Top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler, who won the championship, expressed gratitude for the rapid response by law enforcement. "When something like that happens, you don’t really know what’s happening, so it can kind of rattle you a little bit," he noted.

Akshay Bhatia, another participant, shared his fear during the incident, emphasizing the unsettling nature of such protests. “Thankfully, the cops were there and kept us safe. It’s just weird stuff,” he said.

This incident is part of a larger trend where climate activists have targeted public events and landmarks to draw attention to their cause. Just last week, protesters in the UK defaced Stonehenge with orange paint to protest fossil fuels.

Extinction Rebellion stated their PGA protest was intended to highlight the “worldwide danger of climate breakdown,” suggesting golf fans should be particularly attuned to the need for climate action given the sport's reliance on favorable weather conditions.

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