‘Not welcome': UK town protests JD Vance's family holiday

Al Arabiya

4 days ago

Dozens of activists and locals protested on Tuesday against a visit by US Vice President JD Vance to an idyllic rural region of southwest England, where he is on holiday with family.
Around 60 people gathered for the demonstration in the town of Charlbury in the Cotswolds region, carrying signs including 'Go Home,' 'Not Welcome Party' and 'Sod Off.'
UK police and US security detail dotted the usually quiet roads leading to the nearby hamlet where Vance was staying, blocking some roads and footpaths in the countryside region popular with tourists.
'The people of the Cotswolds are out here today telling JD Vance that he is not welcome here,' Jake Atkinson from the Stop Trump Coalition told AFP at the gathering.
Co-organizer Atkinson cited US President Donald Trump's policies including on immigration and the war in Gaza for the local anger.
He said the anti-Trump coalition would also turn out against the US president, who is due in the UK for a state visit in September.
Earlier in the day, a black van bearing a meme image of Vance edited to look bald and bloated drove past the quaint cottages and winding streets of the town.
'We wanted to extend the same welcome that he extended to (Volodymyr) Zelensky from the White House,' said 75-year-old Charlbury resident Lou Johnson, referring to the cold reception Vance gave the Ukrainian leader during a press conference in Washington in February.
Vance kicked off his British holiday last week by meeting UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who hosted the American politician in his country retreat in Chevening in Kent, southeast of London.
Reports have also said Vance will later visit Scotland, where Trump spent five days at his golf resorts last month.
Heightened security
Residents said they were surprised by the heavy security around Dean, the village where Vance was staying.
'If somebody's just in the Cotswolds on holiday, you wouldn't imagine they'd need a 20-car motorcade and all the roads to the entire village,' said Phil Ball, 53, a local resident and cameraman.
'It's been disruptive and quite a surprise.'
Victoria Dawson, an artist from nearby Witney, said locals were protesting 'against somebody who we think is immoral... somebody who is doing terrific damage around the world along with Trump.'
'Because JD Vance is here, suddenly roads are closed everywhere, there are police everywhere,' she added. 'It's not what we expect or accept.'
Lou Johnson also complained that heightened security had been 'invading everywhere' in the rural area he has called home for 50 years.
'People think it's just a gentle little village but every now and then we do stand up for what we believe in,' said Johnson.