Coal Dumped at "Chess Wimbledon" in Climate Protest

The prestigious Tata Steel chess tournament began with a major disruption on Monday. Environmental activists dumped two tons of coal at the entrance to the venue in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. They also unveiled a banner reading, "No chess on a dead planet." The protest targeted the event's long-time sponsor, the Tata Steel company. The first round of play was delayed by over 90 minutes. The protesters aimed to highlight Tata Steel's heavy reliance on coal in its industrial processes. The tournament is often called the "Wimbledon of Chess." It has been sponsored by the local steelworks for all 88 years of its history. Despite generally good community relations, this direct action marked a significant protest against the sponsor's environmental record.