Who was the intruder in the World Cup final trying to hug Virat Kohli?
In a startling turn of events during the Cricket World Cup 2023 final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, a fan named Wen Johnson breached tight security to approach Virat Kohli on the field.
FollowDuring the Cricket World Cup 2023 final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, a fan breached the stringent security measures to approach Virat Kohli. The individual, identified as Wen Johnson, entered the field of play with the intention of hugging the cricket star. Clad in a face mask displaying the design of a Palestine flag and a T-shirt featuring the slogans 'Stop bombing Palestine' and 'Save Palestine,' Johnson created a disturbance, leading to immediate action by security officials.
Wen Johnson, an Australian national, was apprehended, booked, and later handed over to the crime branch. JCP Crime Neeraj Kumar Badgujar revealed that Johnson has a history of intruding into sports events. In this instance, he entered the stadium through gate number 1, donning a blue T-shirt in support of the Indian team. Jumping over a 6.5-foot-high fencing covered with barbed wire, Johnson sustained injuries to his hands. He had previously faced fines for similar incidents, including invading a rugby match in 2020 and a women's match in 2023.
The incident occurred before the first drinks break, and the security personnel swiftly detained Johnson. He now faces charges of trespassing and obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duty. The preliminary investigation indicates that Johnson is a habitual offender, having been booked in his home country for previous intrusions onto sports fields.
While wearing a pro-Palestine T-shirt, Johnson clarified that his primary objective was to meet Virat Kohli, expressing admiration for the cricketer. Johnson put on a regular T-shirt over the one with pro-Palestine slogans to enter the stadium, removing the outer layer before approaching Kohli, who was batting at the time. Despite claims of supporting Palestine, his actions and history suggest a pattern of intruding into various sporting events.
