Cake, Music, and Protest: Cotswolds Residents Rally Against JD Vance Visit
The scene had all the makings of a joyful village gathering – cake, music, and perfect summer weather in a sunlit Cotswolds park. But the placards made it clear this wasn’t just a community picnic.
Around 100 people, mostly women, gathered for a “Not Welcome” party organized by the Stop Trump Coalition in a park opposite the Co-op in Charlbury, north-west Oxfordshire. Their target? US Vice-President JD Vance, who was enjoying a countryside retreat nearby.
“He’s simply not welcome here,” said Sue Moon, a therapist from Chipping Norton, holding a placard reading: “Cotswold childless cat ladies say go home” – a witty jab at Vance’s past remarks about Democrats. Moon clarified she has children and no cats, but stressed, “The Cotswolds shouldn’t be a bolt-hole for the rich and powerful. We don’t want anything to do with people like him.”
Natasha Phillips, who traveled 70 miles from Bath for the event billed as “Dance Against Vance”, carried a sign accusing Vance of bullying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “The way he treated Zelenskyy was disgusting,” she said. “Ukrainians are heroes. They inspire people standing up to Vladimir Putin.”
Local resident Chris Tatton, a former councillor, called Vance’s ambush of Zelenskyy one of the worst moments he’s seen in politics. His friend, Steve Akers, a retired union organizer, pointed to Gaza’s starving children, blaming the US administration for enabling the crisis.
The placards pulled no punches – from “Make Charlbury Great Again – Go Home” to “Not Too Posh to Protest” and “Rolling Hills, Not Rolling Back Climate Change.” Many mocked Vance with the viral meme of him as a bloated baby, which even landed a Norwegian man, Mads Mikkelsen, in trouble with US border officials earlier this year.
Adding a lighter touch, the event featured a Colin the Caterpillar cake with Vance’s face attached, a boy on a skateboard wearing a cheerful Canadian T-shirt, and plenty of laughter alongside the outrage.
Rachel, a carer from Banbury, voiced her greatest concern: “His environmental policies could wipe out humanity and all living creatures.”
This corner of the Cotswolds has become a magnet for celebrities – with designer delis, gastropubs, and high-end spas. Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm draws fans of his TV shows and conservative views, though Clarkson himself once dubbed Vance “a bearded God-botherer”. The former Top Gear star poked fun at the situation on social media, sarcastically blaming Vance for the “chaos” of the no-fly zone over his farm.
Even Kamala Harris, Vance’s predecessor, was spotted at The Bull pub last month. But behind the glitz, house prices in Charlbury have skyrocketed – a modern three-bedroom home now costs nearly £500,000 – while health and transport services struggle.
Vance is believed to be staying at an 18th-century manor house owned by lightbulb tycoon Johnny Hornby and his wife Pippa, close friends of David Cameron.
Jonathan Mazower, communications director for Survival International, condemned the visit, citing road closures, heavy police presence, and Secret Service patrols. “People here are generally live and let live, but Trump’s No. 2 showing up feels like an outrage,” he said. “With all the security, normal protests are impossible – we’ve resorted to putting up placards, though some are being taken down.”
Andy Graham, leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, compared the scene to the film Men in Black. “The security is so over the top,” he said. “We understand safety is important, but there’s nothing discreet about it.”
Description:
"Hundreds in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, rallied with placards, music, and cake to oppose US Vice-President JD Vance’s countryside stay, slamming his policies on Ukraine, Gaza, and climate change."