Mark Allen remained almost unaffected during one of the worst scenes in Crucible history. He was focused on his match against Fan Zhengyi, while nearby, Joe Perry and Robert Milkins were also battling it out. However, chaos erupted when protestors from Just Stop Oil disrupted the games.
A man jumped on the table and spilled orange powder, while a woman attempted to intervene on the other side. Despite the commotion, the quick-thinking referee, Olivier Marteel, prevented significant delays in play. On the other side of the arena, the match between Perry and Milkins was suspended for the rest of the session.
Allen admitted being oblivious to the unfolding chaos, as he was completely focused on his shot. He acknowledged the efficient handling of the situation and expressed that it did not affect his play. The Crucible’s partition prevents players from being distracted by activities on other tables, a feature Allen favors, as it maintains focus and adds to the atmosphere.
In retrospect, Allen shared that he would opt for the partition as seeing other games can be distracting. He emphasized that the partition adds to the atmosphere and creates an environment where players are fully engaged in their own matches.
