UK town protests JD Vance’s holiday in the Cotswolds
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Dozens of protesters in Charlbury, Cotswolds, rallied against US Vice President JD Vance’s visit, citing opposition to the Trump administration's domestic policy and the war on Gaza.
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Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Vice President JD Vance during a meeting at Chevening House in Kent, England, on August 8, 2025. (AP)
Dozens of activists and residents in the southwest English town of Charlbury staged a protest Tuesday against US Vice President JD Vance’s holiday visit, carrying placards reading “Go Home,” “Not Welcome Party,” and “Sod Off.”
Around 60 people gathered near the rural hamlet where Vance was staying with his family. The Cotswolds, known for its quiet villages and rolling countryside, saw an unusual police and US security presence, with roads and footpaths closed to the public.
According to a source familiar with planning, the trip is a working visit featuring official engagements, cultural visits, and meetings, including with US troops stationed in the UK. It comes amid heightened transatlantic tensions, shifting political landscapes in both countries, and increased attention on Vance’s foreign policy positions.
Demonstrators tell JD Vance he is 'not welcome'
Jake Atkinson of the Stop Trump Coalition said the protest was fueled by opposition to US President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration and the war on Gaza.
Five Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours due to starvation and malnutrition, bringing the total number of Gaza starvation deaths to 227, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, including 103 children.
The ministry said the deaths reflect the deepening malnutrition crisis in Gaza, which the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has now confirmed as active famine in most of the Strip. Additionally, two out of three famine thresholds have been breached, affecting more than 2 million Palestinians.
The Stop Trump Coalition also plans to demonstrate when Trump visits the UK in September.
“We wanted to extend the same welcome that he extended to (Volodymyr) Zelensky from the White House,” said local resident Lou Johnson, referencing Vance’s frosty reception of the Ukrainian leader earlier this year.
Back in March, Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House after a heated shouting match.
Trump invited the Ukrainian president to Washington, where the two were supposed to have lunch and hold a joint press conference. However, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, on one side, and Zelensky, on the other, hurled sharp accusations at each other in front of reporters in the Oval Office.
Earlier in the day, a van displaying a satirical meme image of Vance drove through Charlbury’s narrow streets.
Heavy security disrupts quiet cotswolds community
Vance began his UK trip with a meeting at Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s Chevening estate and is expected to visit Scotland later.
But his stay in Dean, near Charlbury, drew attention for the size of the security operation. “If somebody’s just in the Cotswolds on holiday, you wouldn’t imagine they’d need a 20-car motorcade,” said Phil Ball, a local cameraman. “It’s been disruptive and quite a surprise.”
Victoria Dawson, an artist from nearby Witney, said locals opposed “somebody who is immoral… doing terrific damage around the world along with Trump.”
Johnson, a 50-year resident of the area, added, “People think it’s just a gentle little village, but every now and then we do stand up for what we believe in.”
