Just Stop Oil’s EGX protest worked because we’re all talking about it

Just Stop Oil, a group demanding the U.K. government stop licensing new fossil fuel projects, made headlines yesterday for protesting during a Tekken 7 tournament finale at EGX. Many people online have criticized the group’s actions, but they clearly worked, because here we are talking about it.

On Sunday, Oct. 15, three protestors walked onto the EGX stage. Two of them smeared orange paint over the players’ monitors, while another shot some out of a water gun at the large screen showing the match to the live audience. They then said, “We are demanding that the U.K. government immediately cease all new licensing for coal, oil, and gas,” receiving boos from the crowd before security arrived and removed them. They were reportedly arrested for criminal damage.

People on Twitter questioned why Just Stop Oil targeted an event with such a young audience, many of whom are likely already on the side of taking action to protect the world’s climate. If protests don’t cause disruption, no one writes about them or reports on what’s going on. The goal isn’t to win people over to the cause immediately, but to raise awareness of an issue, to place pressure on governments and corporations, and to gather more support over time.

This protest actually highlights a growing issue within the gaming industry: the ease with which stage invaders can evade security. At The Game Awards last year, a boy joined the stage with Hidetaka Miyazaki and gave a shout-out to Bill Clinton. At another Geoff Keighley event, Gamescom Opening Night live, a stage invader asked for GTA 6 while Keighley tried to speak. Dot Esports has asked EGX for comment.

Just Stop Oil released a statement explaining why it targeted EGX. “EGX 2023 is sponsored by Barclays Bank,” the statement reads. “They have financed around $167 billion in fossil fuels. Moreover, Shell sponsors popular game Fortnite as well as gaming influencers.”

So, while on the surface it may seem odd to go after a gaming convention, there are good reasons. Will this annoy some people who just wanted to watch a Tekken tournament? Of course. But the point is to stop events like EGX from accepting sponsorships from companies that invest in fossil fuels. If Just Stop Oil is going to come and ruin your events, maybe it’s easier to just find greener sponsors. Dot Esports has asked Just Stop Oil for further comment.

Just Stop Oil has also targeted soccer matches and snooker tournaments. Targeting popular, televised and streamed events is going to get more notice than standing outside an office with some placards.

The entire point of protests is to be disruptive, something the people suggesting the group should have set up an EGX stand or protested outside an oil company seem to have forgotten. And if your reaction to this EGX protest is to stop supporting climate activists, you were never on their side to begin with.