Anti-Woodside pitch invader escapes criminal charges

A protester who ran onto Optus Stadium during an AFL game on Saturday has outlined his reasons for the stunt.

A pitch invader and anti-Woodside protester, who briefly disrupted an AFL game in Perth at the weekend, won’t be facing any criminal charges.

Western Australia Police has slapped Emil Davey with a $500 infringement, which is not recorded as a criminal matter, after he jumped onto the Optus Stadium field during the second quarter of Saturday’s clash between the Fremantle Dockers and Geelong.

Pitch invader Emil Davey was tackled to the ground by a security guard. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Mr Davey, 21, jumped over Woodside Energy’s advertising hoarding and waved a large yellow flag reading “DISRUPT BURRUP HUB” before security officers managed to restrain him.

It’s the latest protest stunt carried out by the Disrupt Burrup Hub group, who oppose Woodside’s $50bn Burrup Hub LNG project being built on WA’s Burrup Peninsula in the Pilbara.

The group claims the project is damaging the Murujuga rock art, a collection of some of the world’s oldest pictoglyphs.

Mr Davey was flying a ‘Disrupt Burrup Hub’ flag, calling attention to the impacts of Woodside Energy’s Burrup Hub LNG project. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Play was disrupted for a few minutes as security tried to restrain Mr Davey. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“I‘m flagging the hypocrisy of Woodside sponsoring Indigenous Round while simultaneously destroying Indigenous culture on the Burrup,” Mr Davey said.

“Woodside proudly put their logo on every cultural icon under the West Australian sun — including our footy team and the entire AFL Indigenous Round — while at the same time continuing oppression of Indigenous cultural heritage.”

Mr Davey was ultimately fined $500 for the pitch invasion but wasn’t charged with any criminal offence. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Previous action from the Disrupt Burrup group included spray painting the Woodside logo on paintings at the Art Galley of Western Australia, on the front doors of Perth’s Parliament House, on the front windows of Woodside’s Perth headquarters, and on the glass doors of the Perth Police Centre.

Their latest protest involved two members disrupting Woodside’s AGM in Perth with stink bombs and flares on April 28, over which the pair were charged with aggravated burglary.

Woodside has previously stated it supported peaceful protest.

Originally published as Anti-Woodside pitch invader escapes criminal charges