Wimbledon Opening Protested: Anti‑Israel Rally Targets Barclays Sponsorship
Anti-Israel protesters disrupted Wimbledon’s opening day, targeting sponsor Barclays for its ties to Israeli defense firms, while the tournament introduced electronic line-calling and a larger prize purse. Despite the unrest, top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner headlined, with no Israeli players in the 2025 draw.
The opening day of Wimbledon 2025, on July 1, was disrupted by approximately two dozen anti-Israel protesters from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who gathered at the All England Club’s entrance in London. Waving Palestinian flags and brandishing signs reading “Barclays is a sponsor of Wimbledon and genocide,” they demanded the tournament sever ties with its major sponsor, Barclays, over the bank’s financial ties to Israeli defense contractors. The bank defended its role, stating, “We provide a range of financial services and products to companies supplying defense products to the UK, NATO and its allies. As NATO, the EU and UK seek to increase their defense capabilities in response to increasing geopolitical threats, the provision of financial products and services to the defense sector is becoming increasingly important.” Barclays added it remains “proud of our partnership with Wimbledon,” which has spanned over two decades.
Despite the protests, the tournament proceeded with significant updates, including a 7% prize purse increase to £53.55 million, electronic line-calling replacing human judges for the first time in 138 years, and later final match times to attract American viewers. On Centre Court, two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz faced Italy’s Fabio Fognini, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is set to play Luca Nardi on July 2. British hopes rest on Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter, joined by stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. Israel, despite its tennis legacy with players like Shahar Pe’er (world No. 11) and Dudi Sela (world No. 29), had no representatives in the 2025 main draw or qualifiers.
The protest reflects a broader surge in anti-Israel 'activism', with similar demonstrations targeting cultural events like the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2025. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s actions echo Hamas’s narrative, ignoring Israel’s defense needs amid threats from Iran and its proxies, which launched over 1,200 missiles in June 2025. Wimbledon organizers, focused on security, deployed 2,000 personnel to ensure safety, allowing the tournament to continue uninterrupted.
