Protesters Interrupt French Open Final

A man wearing only a white opera mask and a brown pair of pants, with “Kids Rights” written on his stomach, invaded Court Philippe Chatrier during the second set of the French Open Men’s Final. Leaping from three rows back, the protestor lit a flare and started heading toward Rafael Nadal. Security grabbed the individual and dragged him off the court. The incident occurred a few games after protesters interrupted play screaming from the top row and holding a banner reading, “Help! France tramples on children’s rights,” before being ejected. At the adjacent Court Suzanne Lenglen, six more bare-chested flare-holding protestors unfurled a banner reading “Hollande Demission” (resignation) from the top row.

The protests center around President Francois Hollande signing a law that legalized gay marriage last month, which sparked huge and sometimes violent conservative protests across the country.

Nadal did recover to win the Final in three sets, his record 8th in one grand slam event.

Read more at BBC News. (USA Today has more images)