A very surprising showdown turned violent at Brisbane Airport over the weekend. The England cricket team had to fight past a security guard assigned to protect them. The guys were starting to pack up and head off to Adelaide. They were due to face off in the third Test at Adelaide Oval, which is due to kick off on Wednesday.
Viewers were treated to David Beckham as Channel 7 cameras caught the England team leaving. Things really heated up when a security guard stepped in, attempting to shield the cameras from shooting. Eyewitnesses said that the guard violently shoved aside England players in an attempt to block the ensuing media storm. Throughout all this, the players focused entirely on their own drama. They just kept smiling and signing selfies with fans, blissfully oblivious to the chaos going on around them.
Nick Carrigan, a Channel 7 camera operator, said he was disgusted by the behaviour of the security guard. As an aside, he remarked on how nice and welcoming the players had been before the episode. Given this, the abrupt escalation of confrontation was more shocking than ever.
“They were friendly with us and yeah this didn’t happen up there so it came as quite a shock when it happened,” – Nick Carrigan
Carrigan further stated, “I understand he’s got a job to do but yeah that was totally uncalled for.” His comments highlight, not just his shortsightedness, but his utter shock that things have gotten this far. It wasn’t that the security presence wasn’t supposed to protect players, after all.
The security guard’s aggressive approach included shouted phrases such as “Get out of my face mate, out of my face, out of my face!” Even this was enough to get people’s dander up—as the media professionals in attendance who were just trying to do their jobs found this behavior unacceptable.
Despite the chaotic scenes, England’s captain, Ben Stokes, remained focused on his team’s upcoming challenge. As Daggett said, “We are all pumped and recharged to get to work! This indicates that the Sri Lankan team are looking forward to their next Test match, despite experiencing two massive losses in the first two Tests.
When this all was happening, Carrigan stood his grounds as a member of the press, shouting things like “I’m allowed to go in!” The security guard was clearly determined to mess up Channel 7’s shots and assert his authority over the entire circus.
