Just Stop Oil eco-warriors ruin opera performance with air horns and confetti bomb

It is understood that the protestors had bought tickets to the evening showing of Dialogues des Carmelites.

A three act opera written by Francis Poulenc in 1956, the Dialogues des Carmelites tells the story of Carmlelite nuns, posthumously known as the Martyrs of Compiègne, who were executed during the French Revolution for upholding their beliefs and refusing to renounce their vocation.

The performance resumed after 20 minutes, once the protestors and glitter cannon had been cleared from the theatre.

Just Stop Oil later took to Twitter to gloat: “It’s curtains for new oil and gas.

“Three Just Stop Oil supporters briefly interrupted @glyndebourne opera festival with the old news that new oil and gas is incompatible with a liveable future, and that our government want to go ahead with it anyway.

“Glitter canons and air-horns were set off during 'Dialogues des Carmelites', an opera featuring numerous characters condemned to death. Sound familiar?”

None of the protestors were confirmed to death, nor arrested as the three activists were released without charge.

Hinting at the reasoning for this change of tact in targeting the opera, Just Stop Oil tweeted: “* checking the comments to see if disrupting an £200 a ticket opera at 5pm on a week day is more acceptable than disrupting drivers *.”

Just Stop Oil has also targeted events such as the Chelsea Flower Show, Premiership rugby final and World Snooker Championship.

A spokesman for Glyndebourne said: “We are very sorry to everyone whose visit was affected by the protest action.“

Our highest priority was the safety and security of everyone on site, and we would like to thank our staff and performers, whose calm and professional response kept everyone safe and disruption to a minimum.

“At approximately 5.31pm, today’s performance of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites was disrupted by three protestors who let off a confetti bomb, blew an air horn and started shouting. The stage was immediately cleared and within less than a minute ushers had peacefully escorted the protestors from the theatre.

“The audience remained inside the theatre and were provided with regular updates and, following a 21-minute delay, the opera restarted at approximately 5.52pm.

“We have formally reported the incident to the police, but the police were not on site and no arrests were made.”

It is unclear why the Glyndebourne opera house was chosen for the attack, for the opera house has previously committed to halving carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.

Glyndebourne also installed a 67-metre wind turbine in 2012.

Unveiled by Sir David Attenbrough, Glyndebourne announced at the time that the turbine “provides a visual reminder to us all to do all we can to tackle climate change”.

Yesterday, 54 activists slow marched on the A406 at Hangar Lane, west London and at Battersea Bridge in south London, earning nine of the protestors arrests for refusing to comply with a section 12 order.

Marches continued by Vauxhall Bridge later on in the day, where seven more protestors were arrested by police.

Just Stop Oil antics have soaked up nearly 13,770 officer shifts since June 8, costing police £4.5million in just six weeks.