London Marathon boss Hugh Brasher has asked protest groups Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil to actively “protect” rather than ruin his race - because of the good it does for society.
There are fears Sunday’s marathon could suffer the same fate as the Grand National and World Snooker Championships, which were severely disrupted by protestors.
Rather than simply hope for the best, Brasher has confronted the threat head on, contacting both Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil with an impassioned plea to spare his showpiece.
“I am asking them to help and protect the marathon because of the good it does in society,” he said. “The London Marathon is unique, we run for clean air, that is so important in what we do.”
Brasher met with Extinction Rebellion on Wednesday ahead of their scheduled four-day protest in and around Parliament Square in central London and says he received assurances from the climate group.
“They will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon and to do something that is quite unique in their history: to protect what is one of the crown jewels of British sport,” said the race director.
“We've not traded anything off, we are working with them, they are working with us. It is a unique first.”
Just Stop Oil warn that they plan to disrupt more sporting events in the coming weeks after two of their group infiltrated the Crucible Theatre and one was able to stage an orange powder protest on the sacred green baize.
“JSO have specifically said they are targeting sport,” Brasher acknowledged. “But I am reaching out to them - as we are reaching out to all parties - because we run together and the environment is enormously important.
“We want to celebrate humanity. We run together for charity. We run together for our communities and we want to be together in peace.”
Brasher knows his event is uniquely vulnerable given the race distance and the layout of a course that weaves its way, largely unprotected, around the road network of south and central London.
“You can have one or two people [protesting] and we have 26.2 miles, it is difficult," he conceded.
“We do mitigate for disruption and have done for years. There are numerous mitigations we put in - and we have a raft of additional mitigation measures we are putting into this year's event. But we really hope for an amazing weekend where the true goodness of humanity shines through."
Extinction Rebellion last night confirmed that the climate group had "no intention" in spoiling road running's big day in the capital.
"We have been in dialogue with the marathon organisers since November to make sure we can hold both events at the same time and support one another," said a spokesperson. "We have assured them that we have no intention to disrupt their event.
"We both acknowledge that the charities and campaigns groups that runners are supporting are unequivocally in favour of acting against climate collapse. In an emergency, as we are, we must find a way to share the London streets as we all want to support charity, but we also need to hold government to account."
