US Vice-President JD Vance has faced criticism after his security detail reportedly occupied every disabled parking bay at a high-end Cotswolds farm shop. The incident occurred on Tuesday at Daylesford Organic, near Chipping Norton, where the vice-president's entourage is said to have taken over all spaces reserved for people with mobility issues for more than three hours.
According to the Daily Mail, at least one shopper was prevented from visiting the shop. A local resident said: "The disabled parking spaces are right in front of the entrance. That whole area was black SUVs. They took up the whole f****** car park." Another person posted on social media: "For God's sake! So JD Vance's security think it is completely acceptable to take every single disabled allocated parking space at Daylesford Farm. Ghastly and totally wrong and inconsiderate, is me being polite."
The controversy comes amid reports that British police working with the US Secret Service had demanded social media details from villagers in the Hamlet of Dean. Thames Valley Police confirmed officers had spoken to residents but strongly denied asking about social media accounts. A dog walker from the hamlet told the Observer: "We have had the police knocking on every door. They wanted the names of everybody living there and details of their social media. I know several people refused."
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said the force was "supporting the United States during the Vice President's visit to our area to ensure the safety of all involved". He added: "A restricted access area has been put in place in a small part of Dean as part of our operation. We spoke to affected residents to ensure we are able to facilitate movement within the restricted access area. Residents were under no obligation to answer any questions and were not asked about social media."
Mr Vance is on a family holiday in the Cotswolds with his wife, Usha, and their three children. He has also held meetings with senior British political figures, including a fishing trip with Foreign Secretary David Lammy and breakfast with Nigel Farage on Wednesday. Local resentment has been visible, with protesters displaying signs reading "Vance you are not welcome" and "Vance stop funding genocide". Jeremy Clarkson also joined the backlash after a no-fly zone interrupted filming of his show Clarkson's Farm, posting a map with the caption: "The JD Vance no fly zone. We are the pin. So on the downside, no drone shots today. On the upside, no annoying light aircraft." His co-star Kaleb Cooper said his wheat got wet when a convoy stopped him in the rain in Chipping Norton.
