On Monday, a fourth-round match between Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and Cameron Norrie of Great Britain was temporarily postponed after protesters threw papers onto the Australian Open court.
During the sixth game of the third set at Margaret Court Arena, a person wearing a blue shirt, hat, and face mask threw an anti-war pamphlet from the stands onto the court behind the baseline.
Printed in black on a white page were the messages “Liberate Palestine'' and “Bombs are falling in Gaza while you watch tennis.''
The ball kids gathered their papers and the game continued after a short delay.
Security guards took away the demonstrators.
Zverev won the match 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) and advanced to the quarterfinals against No. 2 ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
Tennis Australia said two spectators stopped the demonstrators and “thank them for their actions”.
“Venue security was deployed to detain the individual, who was subsequently removed from the event,” organizers said in a statement. “As we saw tonight, those who attempt to disrupt the event will be removed.”
Victoria Police said in a statement that officers were alerted to a small group of people throwing pamphlets near the entrances to Margaret Court Arena, Keir Arena and tournament venues.
Two women, ages 35 and 36, were taken into custody but released without charge, police said.
Pro-Palestinian activists dropped pamphlets and played loud sounds of bombs falling in Gaza, stopping play on several courts, according to groups supporting the protests.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 with Hamas' attack on southern Israel.
The Palestinian terrorists killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 hostages back to Gaza.
The Gaza Strip Health Ministry announced Sunday that the death toll of Palestinians in the war has exceeded 25,000.
