Vivienne Westwood drives tank to David Cameron's house in anti-fracking protest
The fashion designer arrived in style in the Prime Minister's constituency
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Vivienne Westwood certainly knows how to make a point.
The fashion designer and activist surprised residents in the sleepy town of Witney, in Oxfordshire, by driving an infantry carrier towards David Cameron’s house.
A strident anti hydraulic fracking campaigner, Westwood has condemned the practice as a “crime against humanity” in the past and regularly appears at anti-fracking protests.
She also held her own Mad Max themed demonstration against attempts by drilling companies to recover shale gas in April this year, complete with a bloodied doll (a “fracked baby of the future”) which appeared in photos with Harry Styles and other famous figures.
The 74-year-old took a break from preparing for New York Fashion Week to give the Prime Minister a piece of her mind over fracking licenses being issued across 1,000 square miles of Northern England. If her stunt didn't catch Mr Cameron's attention, the pictures and videos circulating will.
Dame Vivienne Westwood's anti fracking tank rides to David Cameron's house in #Witney. #HeartNews pic.twitter.com/oRRn50ibBg
— Thames Valley News (@HeartThamesNews) September 11, 2015A spokesman for Westwood told The Independent the vehicle used to escort her was from Tanks A Lot, the same company that provided Stig with a tank in the failed protest to save Jeremy Clarkson from his Top Gear sacking.
“We got nannas of Lancashire to join the process and police officers there, they made sure everything was calm and innocent," he said. "Most of residents around the village were pretty stunned but them were laughing about it, although we did have one or two blocking the road."
Westwood launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister in a statement comparing him to dictators and accusing him of leading a "regime".
“Cameron accuses foreign leaders such as President Gaddafi and President Assad of supposedly using chemicals on their own people as a justification for regime change," said Westwood.
“But he is doing precisely that here in Britain by forcing toxic, life threatening fracking chemicals on his own people, against the advice of his own Chief Scientist.
“It’s time for regime change in Britain."
Mr Cameron’s home was also targeted by anti-fracking protesters who erected barriers around it with signs reading: “We apologise for an inconvenience caused while we frack under your home,” in 2014.
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