JD Vance’s Bald Meme Follows Him on U.K. Vacation as Protest Van Circles His Rental

Vice President JD Vance is facing an unusual kind of protest during his family trip to the United Kingdom.

Vance, 41, and his wife Usha, 39, brought their three children — Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3 — to stay in a historic 18th-century manor house in the Cotswolds, a wealthy and scenic area of southern England. But instead of a peaceful getaway, they were met with trolling from a British activist group called Everyone Hates Elon.

The group, which has previously mocked President Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk, covered the Cotswolds with an edited meme of Vance showing him bald. The image appeared on signs, billboards, and even a large advertising van that drove around the area near the Vances’ rental home.

On Instagram, the group asked for donations to “ruin JD Vance’s trip,” saying their goal was to show the vice president he is “NOT welcome in the U.K.” One post read:

“Such an absolute SHAME that coverage of JD’s holiday features this meme of his face as a big bald baby, rather than peacefully enjoying scones and cream in the Cotswolds. We couldn’t allow him to dine at expensive restaurants, while people in Palestine starve to death. We couldn’t stand by as he freely hangs out with his far right friends, while taking freedoms away of his people. Apparently you really love free speech hun @jdvance, so here you go xxx.”

The choice of meme has a backstory. Earlier this year, a 21-year-old Norwegian traveler named Mads Mikkelsen (not related to the Danish actor) said U.S. border officers stopped him at Newark Airport. He claimed they searched his phone, saw the bald meme of Vance, and sent him back to Norway. U.S. Customs and Border Protection later denied that claim, saying Mikkelsen was refused entry for “admitted drug use,” not for political reasons.

The trolling also comes months after Vance criticized the U.K. for having a “free speech problem” during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Vance argued that U.K. tech regulations hurt American businesses and free speech rights. Starmer defended the U.K., saying free speech has a “very, very long” history there and will continue.

In a statement about their protest, Everyone Hates Elon said:

“JD Vance says the UK has a free speech problem, but a tourist claims he was banned from entering the USA simply for having this silly meme on his phone. We thought we’d show him what free speech looks like here by welcoming him with the image he apparently hates so much.”

The protests aren’t the only disruption caused by Vance’s visit. According to The Telegraph, the property owner where Vance is staying apologized to neighbors for the “circus” caused by his presence.

Ahead of his arrival, the Secret Service reportedly set up checkpoints, installed a large antenna behind the house, and even built a temporary helipad in a nearby field — all in a quiet village of about 3,000 people.