Death threats made against opponents of Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm expansion plans
Two people who are against Jeremy Clarkson’s plans to expand his Oxfordshire farm have received death threats, it has been revealed.
An unnamed councillor and a member of the public have been the subject of malicious communications for speaking out against the TV presenter‘s proposals, according to West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC).
At least one of the threats has been reported to Thames Valley Police.
The former Top Gear presenter bought the 1,000-acre site in Chadlington near Chipping Norton in 2008 and his efforts to run Diddly Squat Farm have been featured in two series on Amazon Prime called Clarkson’s Farm.
Pic: Amazon Prime Video
The threats were made some time after the second season of the show aired on 10 February.
WODC refused to grant Clarkson planning permission for an extension to his farm shop car park in May last year.
The planning inspector has been holding a hearing into Clarkson’s appeal on the matter, where extra security measures were put in place due to the threats.
The 62-year-old star is also challenging the council’s move to shut down his restaurant on the same plot of land because he allegedly opened it without planning permission in July last year.
An WODC enforcement notice in August 2022 stated the “nature, scale and siting” of the dining venue was “incompatible with its open countryside location” in the Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty.
The council then ordered the restaurant be closed and the dining tables, chairs, parasols, picnic tables, and mobile toilet be removed.
Pic: Amazon Prime Video
‘No place for threatening or abusive behaviour’
On the death threats, the council said in a statement: “Unfortunately we have had to take safety precautions following a number of threats and abuse directed at councillors and local people since the airing of season two of Clarkson’s Farm.
“This has included death threats and as a result we have had to consider a range of safety measures to protect councillors, staff and residents.
“We understand people may not agree with decisions taken by the council but there is no place for threatening or abusive behaviour.
“It damages the democratic process when people feel intimidated and do not feel safe to express the opinions they are entitled to.”
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People working on behalf of Clarkson argue the council’s decisions on his plans are “excessive” and they are not in breach of planning laws.
Current planning permission allows Clarkson to use the farm as a restaurant, and there has been no “material change” to the land, according to the John Phillips Planning Consultancy, in an appeal against the enforcement notice.
But WODC’s lawyers argued that the “level of use of the site” has “significantly increased” due to the restaurant, and the land is “now used for a mix of purposes which go well beyond that of a farm shop”.
The council has said that due to these reasons, the existing planning permission “could never apply” to the new enterprises on the site.
A final decision on the plans will be published in the coming weeks.
Entertainment
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Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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