J D Vance visit - peaceful protest meet-up Tues 4pm

Sun 10 Aug, 20:57

I don't wish to be dismissive, but a) he or anyone else from the US government will not be at the Mill Field or the R&C, b)given the 'alternative facts' issued by the curent USA regime, it won't be noticed. I will now say "direct action is the only thing that gets results" and now await the knock on my door. By direct action, I would mean standing in front of the holiday home with a placard that says 'nyet'.

Sun 10 Aug, 19:42

@Valerie. My contribution to the list of reasons to protest on Tuesday is "hypocricy". 

He dared to lecture Europe (in the widest sense) about our dreadful repression of free speech, while withdrawing funding from universities that dare to criticise Trump and his policies, banning reporters that tell the truth from White House briefings and official visits, and bullying and intimidating media organisations that stand up to him. Who would have thought one day I would be on the side of Rupert Murdoch!

Sun 10 Aug, 17:54

Adding my three-ha'p'orth.  I shall be at the Mill Field, largely because Mr Vance (who, I agree, is clearly a bully & a boor) and his family won't be.  I don't know if his wife is complicit or merely long-suffering (I wouldn't want my wife to be pilloried for her husband's vices), but his children clearly can't help who their father is.

But the other reason I shall be there (apart from the promise of more shared indignation in the Rose & Crown afterwards) is the fact that the press apparently will be.  Marina Hyde recently wrote in the Guardian:  "As for why Vance has picked the Cotswolds, it’s possibly a smart move to holiday somewhere filled with so many of the absolute worst people in the country".  I don't know where she gets that idea from (she's normally pretty sound, in my opinion), but clearly the metropolitan chatterati need to see that most of us aren't in fact MAGA fellow-travellers,

Sun 10 Aug, 15:25 (last edited on Sun 10 Aug, 15:25)

Can we dial down the snarky images, please? Thank you.

Sun 10 Aug, 15:12

Hi!  As a non-local who's hoping to come to the JD Vance protest on Tuesday afternoon, I thought I'd respond to a couple of the concerns raised on this forum.

I'm keen to go to the Rose and Crown, not to continue protesting, but just to have a cold beer after what looks likely to be a very hot afternoon in the sun.

Likewise, I don't want to do anything to alarm or offend any kids at the nursery or indeed any other locals.

Personally, it's important for me to show up because I was so repulsed by Vance's bullying of Zelenskyy that I don't want him to visit our country and get the impression that we're okay with that. 

Now I just need to think of a sign that's as creative as those the people in Vermont came up with when Vance holidayed there... 

All the best!

Sun 10 Aug, 14:53 (last edited on Sun 10 Aug, 14:55)

Simon, why would children be scared of a protest? Plenty of children attended the March against Brexit and the Women's March in London and loved it! I also doubt Angela is going to doing anything raucous inside, or outside the Rose & Crown. 

Sun 10 Aug, 11:34 (last edited on Sun 10 Aug, 11:35)

Thanks for letting us know about this Angela. I'll try to be there.  I'm posting this, though, partly in response to various calls for protest during Vance's visit. For those who don't know me, I'm an American, long-time resident in the UK, who is sickened more than I can say be what is happening in the US and it's impact on the whole world.  I am sorry that my country of citizenship is such a threat, and I am all for peaceful protest at every opportunity.

What has stopped me jumping on board with ideas of protesting this visit is the fact that this is a family trip and, as I understand it, Vance will have his young children with him. Children don't choose their parents, and don't deserve to be punished for loving the ones they draw. I have the faces of the young Obama girls, hearing the opposing side's jeers and racist abuse on election night 2008, seared on my memory. They didn't deserve that, and not just because their father is on my side of the political fence. They were children. 

Let's all who deplore Trump, Vance, and the deplorable situation in the US raise our voices in any way we can. But let's be careful not to catch any innocent children in the crossfire. 

Sun 10 Aug, 11:19 (last edited on Sun 10 Aug, 11:21)

I’m not sure that the Rose & Crown will be very happy with this.  Have you asked their permission to use their facility.  If not somebody should out of courtesy.  Especially as you’re likely to have members of the Press with you.

Sun 10 Aug, 08:12

Could I kindly ask that any protesting that may continue in The Rose and Crown is kept to a level as to not disturb or frighten the children across the road in the nursery. I'm sure people will be responsible, but occasionally, things can get carried away. Thank you for your understanding. 

Sat 9 Aug, 19:57

Would it be permissible for members to state our reasons for protesting?  On the chance that his minders might be reading here? 

If so, I'll start - maybe one instance per person?

'Hilaire Belloc said that the grace of God lies in courtesy.  You claim to be a newly-minted Christian, but we haven't observed much courtesy - ask President Zelenskyy.'

Sat 9 Aug, 15:13

I have been contacted by Zoe at the Stop Trump Coalition who wish to peacefully protest Vance’s visit and are keen to garner local support. Here are the details.

‘We at STC are in discussions about peacefully protesting JDV's visit in August and would love to collaborate with local folks.

STC messaging is very broad focusing on palestine, inequality, migrants, ukraine, trade justice, womens rights, lgbtq rights & climate.

We will arrive in Charlbury on Tuesday 12 August and invite all who are interested to come to Mill Field, Mill Lane at 16.00. Here we will distribute some materials and exchange ideas. Members of the press are invited for 16.30. At 17.30 we will retire to The Rose & Crown for debrief, planning, etc.

We aren’t really able to coordinate a confrontation as - as you’ve seen - we don’t know where he will be when during the visit, so we can’t really ambush him, or at least maybe locals could but for us coming up we can’t really plan it that way, so the idea is to get lots of footage/press content and distribute flags banners and materials to you guys there and yeah. That’s all we can really do, but hopefully it’s something worthwhile. But that’s why it’s billed as a “meet-up” not a demo as such

Here is the itinerary:

16:00 - Meet activists/briefing at Mill Field, Mill Lane

16.30 - press invited for this time - interviews, capture banners, chanting etc

17.30 - to the Rose & Crown for a debrief, planning session, rest, social