Crime & Safety
Joanna Lumley fans rally around after frightening attack
The 79-year-old dame is well known for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, for which she has won two BAFTA TV Awards.
She has also starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2013 hit The Wolf of Wall Street, the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and The New Avengers, among others.
Dame Joanna has several links to Oxfordshire with the actress being awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Oxford Brookes University in 2002.
READ MORE: Body found on railway tracks, emergency services confirm
She also backed The Old Bakehouse in Chadlington, leading to a community group stepping in to save the supported living home from closure.
However, it was reported in The Sun that Dame Joanna was targeted by masked motorbike thieves at her £2.5m London house.
The newspaper reported that neighbour and Times columnist Emma Duncan said looked out of the window and could see there was something “untoward” going on.
She said: “I ran downstairs, slung on a coat and sprinted along the pavement towards the noise.
“A group of men on motorbikes had surrounded a car whose alarm was going off. One was yelling ‘I can’t f***ing start it!’”
READ MORE: The Range shopper does poo on shelf before leaving
Dame Joanna reportedly joined in in telling the thieves trying to steal her car to “f*** off” before saying to Ms Duncan: “Darling, it’s so sweet of you to come out.”
Fans of the legendary actress have taken online to rally around the star with supportive comments after the terrifying targeted attack.
Susan Wade said online: “Must have been very frightening for her” while Philippa Peate added: “Poor Joanna – how frightening.”
Pete Bleakley said: “Another ‘unbelievable, dahling’ dinner party story to amaze her luvvie mates with.”
Crime & Safety
Tommy Robinson ‘not welcome in Oxford’ after ‘inciting riot’
Oxford Stand Up To Racism has accused Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, of inciting the ‘awful violent scenes’ in Southampton on Tuesday night (June 2).
The city where 18-year-old Henry Nowak died and where his killer, Vickrum Digwa, lived became a scene of destruction after hundreds descended to smash car windows, hurl bricks and cause eleven officers and a police dog to be injured.
READ MORE: New date set for Tommy Robinson appearance in Oxford
Following the disorder, the chief of Hampshire police said those involved were ‘determined to spark fear and division’.
Screen grab taken from a video of police and protestors clashing in Southampton during a protest following the death of Henry Nowak. (Image: Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire)
Yaxley-Lennon, who has been jailed multiple times for a variety of offences including when he was imprisoned in October 2024 for contempt of caught, addressed the crowd at the riot.
He said: “I heard someone say this wasn’t about race, this is about race.
“A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn’t.”
Oxford Stand Up to Racism is now renewing its call for the Oxford Union to withdraw its invitation for the ‘riot agitator’ to speak on June 17 on the subject of Islam.
He was originally due to speak at the historic debating society on Thursday, May 28 before his appearance was postponed over security concerns and after massive backlash.
A previous Stand Up to Racism protest in Oxford (Image: Newsquest)
READ MORE: Major emergency response in Oxford as paramedics on scene
Ian McKendrick, a member of the anti-racism group, said: “Despite Henry Nowak’s family clearly requesting that his death should not be used to promote further hatred, Robinson was at the centre of protests in Southampton last night and clearly inciting violence.
“Giving him a televised platform at the Oxford Union legitimises hate and violence, and gives him the opportunity to incite violence to an audience of millions.
“It does not promote free speech – instead, it promotes fear and intimidation among minoritised communities.
“Already we have seen Oxford fascists alongside Robinson in Southampton and now mobilising to bring more hate onto Oxford’s streets.”
Tommy Robinson with protesters outside Southampton police station (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA)
Members of Raise the Colours: Oxfordshire were called to attend the Southampton protest on Tuesday night, with the leader of the group posting on Facebook to ask followers to join the ‘justice for Henry Nowak’ protest.
Mr McKendrick added: “There is a concerted effort by far right leaders and fascist groups to incite outrage and bring people on to the streets to riot.
READ MORE: Traffic chaos in Witney amid report of ‘major incident’
“We risk an explosion of violence similar to what we saw around the Southport murders across the UK.
“We’re calling on Oxford to say a clear ‘no’ to this hate and division by protesting against Yaxley-Lennon’s appearance at the Oxford Union.”
Faith and civic leaders of Oxford already wrote to the Oxford Union asking it to rescind the controversial figure’s invitation, and hundreds have signed an open letter calling for the same.
Crime & Safety
Witney traffic chaos amid report of 'major incident' at junction
A reported incident at a junction in Witney is causing traffic chaos in the town, with drivers coming off the A40 and elsewhere stuck in long queues.
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Crime & Safety
Major emergency response in Oxford as paramedics on scene
An incident occurred in St Aldate’s, outside the entrance to Christ Church Meadows, at about 4pm on Tuesday, June 2.
At least three ambulances were responding to what appeared to be a medical emergency on the pavement.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire footbridge over A-road a collapse risk for years
An individual was scene on a stretcher being cared for by paramedics.
At least three ambulances responded to what appeared to be a medical emergency in St Aldate’s, Oxford (Image: Contributed)
An eyewitness said the incident occurred opposite the Alice Shop, and the medical teams ‘evacuated’ the person.
Apart from the pavement briefly being blocked while the first responders dealt with the emergency, it did not appear to affect traffic or block the road in busy St Aldate’s.
South Central Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.
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