Wimbledon will be "expected to step up security" at this year’s Championships to "avoid a repeat of the pro-Russia demonstrations that erupted" at the Australian Open on Wednesday, according to Simon Briggs of the London TELEGRAPH. Chants in support of Russia were "allowed to ring out for several minutes before guards appeared" in Melbourne Park, and even then, they "initially stood and watched before taking action." Eventually, the police "became involved" and four of the main agitators "were questioned." The All England Club is still "expected to admit Russians and Belarusians to this summer’s Wimbledon." Players from those two nations were "controversially banned" from last year's championships as "punishment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine." The main difference is that this year, the government’s stance is "considerably less hardline." The priorities for Wimbledon’s security this summer will "include bag searches in an attempt to find and eliminate unwanted flags." It is, however, "difficult to prevent" people from wearing politicized clothing (London TELEGRAPH, 1/26).
CRACKING DOWN: In Melbourne, Scott Spits notes Srdjan Djokovic, the father of tennis player Novak Djokovic, was "filmed saying 'long live the Russians' in Serbian alongside fans who were brandishing banned Russian flags" at the Australian Open on Wednesday night. Russian flags and other items bearing the Russian or Belarusian insignias are "banned" at Melbourne Park, and Australian Open event organizers said that they would "continue to work with event security about enforcing rules of entry to Melbourne Park." Russian or Belarusian flags, or clothing with the “Z” symbol, were "specified by tournament authorities as banned items under a crackdown" after they "caused offence in the early days of the grand slam." Supporters have "flouted the policy previously" but the incidents on Wednesday night are the "most serious breaches yet" (Melbourne AGE, 1/26). In Australia, Emily Benammar notes the updated list of prohibited items distributed to event security now "includes more than 10 flags, including variations of the Russian imperial flag and other historical flags of Russian origin" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/26).
Clothing with the “Z” symbol are among items banned by Wimbledon authoritiesGetty Images
