Christian Ruffians Force An An English Village Into Lockdown

APPALLING behaviour by hooligans attending a Christian event near the rural village of Cheddar in Somerset has forced some business owners to shutter their stores as precaution against vandalism and looting.

The six-day Tent Revival – thought to have been organised by the evangelical Light and Life Church – unleashed a wave of obnoxious behaviour.

The first that was known about the event was when caravans started to arrive on Monday bringing gridlock to local roads.

Both police and Cheddar Parish Council say they have received reports from residents and businesses about anti-social behaviour ever since the group arrived.

One local said the village had effectively “gone into lockdown” since the group arrived.

Another said on a local Facebook group:

Young louts from the ‘rally’ went along the high street in Cheddar this afternoon shouting and acting as louts kicking rubbish boxes onto the busy main road.

One person who visited the area recently said she had encountered a group of what she described as “louts” attending the revival while in the village. Commenting on the Facebook group, she said:

As locals you must be appalled by whoever allowed this gathering to take place. I saw elderly citizens approached by these louts and one lady almost pushed from her bicycle.

Others complained about the traffic, with one local saying on the same group:

Who thought it was a good idea to hold the biggest caravan rally I’ve ever seen in the village?

A local football club has also postponed a home match because of what it describes as “a situation in the village.”

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the force had received reports of anti-social behaviour.

We’ve received a small number of reports of antisocial behaviour in connection with an authorised encampment in Cheddar. The neighbourhood team will be carrying out reassurance patrols over the coming days and engaging with those in attendance.

Residents say a number of local businesses have temporarily closed, while at least one pub has shut early on two days this week following anti-social behaviour following the arrival of around 150 caravans, camper-vans and trailers

It comes months after travellers attending an evangelical Life and Light Christian festival in the market town of Oakham, Rutland, caused mayhem in June.

The event – which like the Cheddar revival, also featured a giant tent – saw police intervene after reports of anti-social behaviour, assaults and high-speed drag-racing.

Residents in Oakham were left in a “state of panic” amid anti-social behaviour, assaults, high-speed drag-racing after a group of 1,500 travelers attended the festival, which caused “absolute carnage.”

Several supermarkets and other businesses closed early following claims of looting and toilets being left unusable for customers.

Gladwells art gallery shut its doors and removed expensive paintings from display in the windows.

Witnesses said maskless youths terrorised staff and diners in the local McDonald’s and went behind the counter to grab meals and hurl food and drink.

Multiple locals claimed online that the team running the Rutland Showground, where the festival was staged, were duped. They were apparently told it would only involve a small number of people – but instead hundreds of caravans turned up and a giant circus tent was pitched.

Local businessman Carl Ford, 55, said most smaller firms were forced to close their doors and residents were avoiding the town due to:

Fears for their safety. The last 24 hours have been absolute carnage. They have been running amok and showing no respect for our town. On top of anti-social behaviour I can’t imagine how many Covid breaches there have been.

They are packing in to tents like sardines and with the latest strain it is very worrying. They were all racing up the Oakham bypass. It was like a race track up there last night. I’ve seen some police but not enough, they look out of control to me.

People are not coming into town over fears for their own safety. The police have mostly let it all happen, they are outnumbered.