Within the Cricket World Cup 2023 remaining, a fan breached a good safety cordon to enter the sphere of play in a determined try to hug Virat Kohli in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The incident created loads of ruckus within the stadium, prompting the safety officals to spring into motion. The person has since been booked, and recognized as Wen Johnson. Johnson wore a face masks bearing the design of a Palestine flag and a T-shirt with slogans- ‘Cease bombing Palestine’ and ‘Save Palestine’- written on the back and front sides, respectively. He was initially taken to Chandkheda police station however has now been handed over to the crime department.
The detailed identification of the individual has been revealed by JCP Cime Neeraj Kumar Badgujar.
“Yesterday, throughout the match, an individual entered the stadium… It was discovered that his identify is Van Johnson and he’s a citizen of Australia. His mom is Indonesian and father is Chinese language… No matter he earns, he makes use of it to go to numerous matches and trespasses matches… In 2020, he entered the rugby match, he was fined greater than USD 200 after which he was let off… In 2023 additionally he entered a ladies’s match, after which he was fined USD 500 {dollars}… He entered the match yesterday to b.nete well-known… He entered the stadium by gate number one sporting a blue t shirt supporting the Indian staff… then he simply jumped above the 6.5-foot-high fencing lined with barbed wire. His fingers have been additionally injured… An FIR was registered… Now the investigation has been transferred to the crime department… We acquired the remand for 1 day,” JCP Crime Neeraj Kumar Badgujar instructed ANI.
#WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: JCP Crime Neeraj Kumar Badgujar says, “Yesterday, throughout the match, an individual entered the stadium… It was discovered that his identify is Van Johnson and he’s a citizen of Australia. His mom is Indonesian and father is Chinese language… No matter he earns, he… https://t.co/YxEZDBdCdL pic.twitter.net/hp4TgJXLPR
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2023
The incident occurred earlier than the primary drinks break. The safety personnel instantly apprehended the person.
“The Australian nationwide, recognized as Wen Johnson, has been detained and booked on the costs of trespassing and obstructing public servants in discharge of responsibility,” mentioned Viraj Jadeja, inspector, Chandkheda police station.
The ICC would not permit any political sloganeering throughout occasions organised by the worldwide governing physique of cricket and any such act can also be not allowed in India.
A preliminary probe has revealed that Johnson is a ordinary offender and was booked in his nation for invading sports activities fields previously, mentioned Jadeja.
“Johnson instructed us that he’s a fan of Virat Kohli and needed to fulfill him throughout the match. He wore the pro-Palestine T-shirt only for the sake of it. In any other case, his major intention was to fulfill Kohli,” the police officer mentioned.
Johnson was detained after the registration of FIR within the night.
In a number of the movies and pictures he has shared on his Instagram deal with ‘pyjamamann’, Johnson may be seen invading fields throughout soccer video games and being taken away by safety personnel.
In a single such photograph, Johnson may be seen sporting a T-shirt saying “Free Ukraine” as he intruded a pitch.
Johnson placed on a standard T-shirt over the one with pro-Palestine slogans to enter the stadium. He then eliminated the outer T-shirt earlier than operating in the direction of Kohli, who was batting at the moment, Jadeja mentioned.
When requested about his motive, Johnson instructed reporters on the police station that he needed to fulfill Kohli and that he was sporting the T-shirt with the slogans as a result of he helps Palestine.
Israel and Palestine group Hamas have been engaged in a battle since October 7.
With PTI inputs
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by FreeCricket employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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