1,250 Refugees to Arrive in Village of 350... UK Residents Say "This Is an Occupation, We Will Declare Independence"

Refugee Center Planned for Rural Piddington, England

Village Votes for Independence with 285 in Favor

"Mostly Single Men," "Could Become a Far-Right Target"

Government: "Former Military Base Is Optimal for Refugee Accommodation"

Residents of a rural village in the United Kingdom with a population of around 350 have declared "independence" through a local referendum in protest against the construction of a large refugee center nearby.

On September 16 (local time), Yonhap News reported, citing the BBC, that "residents of Piddington, Oxfordshire, England, voted 285 in favor and 26 against on September 15 to pursue 'self-determination' by separating from the United Kingdom."

Refugee Center at a Former Military Base... Independence Vote as a Sign of Opposition

An online image is spreading using AI, showing a large refugee center with a capacity of up to 1,256 people planned to be established in the village of Piddington, Oxfordshire, England, which has about 350 residents. X

The United Kingdom has recently faced a series of protests against housing refugees in hotels. In response, the Labour government is considering utilizing former military bases instead of hotels. Plans are underway to build a refugee center for up to 1,256 asylum seekers at a former military base near Piddington. This facility will be nearly four times the size of the current village population, and "single male" refugees will be accommodated there for at least 10 years. Piddington is a village located about 25 kilometers northeast of Oxford, a university city.

This referendum was led by the parish council, the local governing body, and has no legal effect. The method of the vote was inspired by the 1949 British comedy film "Passport to Pimlico." In the film, London residents declare independence after discovering treasure and escape postwar rationing. Signs reading "Principality of Piddington" have already been erected at the village boundary. Tim McNally, chair of the parish council, said, "This is an example of democracy in action," adding, "We have sent a message to the rest of the world."

Joe Marshall, a parish council member, even mentioned electing a head of state for the principality and issuing its own identification cards. He referenced the "Principality of Sealand," a micronation that declared independence in the North Sea in 1967, and commented, "The independence movement in Piddington depends on how much the government listens to our village."

"Four Times the Population... Will Cause Serious Problems"

Residents who supported independence are concerned that most of the refugees are single men and worry that far-right groups may flock to the village to stage protests. Tim Bearder, an Oxfordshire County Council representative, told the BBC, "The refugee center will become a target for far-right groups coming to protest." Resident Ian Darby, 63, told AFP, "All our village has is a village hall, a 12th-century church, and a playing field. This is practically an occupation of the village. It is four times the population. They will want to roam around, and it will cause serious problems," he claimed.

Herbert Owen, 73, said, "I voted to leave the UK," adding, "It seems the government doesn't care about our village." Christina Gower, 26, remarked, "It's sad that we have to take extreme and desperate measures just to get the government's attention," adding, "If the Prime Minister wants to come for tea, he's welcome."

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said about the vote results on the 16th, "I understand how strongly the residents feel," but emphasized, "The promise to end refugee accommodation in hotels must be kept." He also stated, "We will look into the issues raised by the local community and the referendum, but we must develop a fair plan," and stressed that "the burden should not fall solely on one area or a single community." Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added, "Former military bases are a better alternative to hotels or rental housing for accommodating asylum seekers," and, "While we resolve the current confusion, people have to be housed somewhere, and the base will go ahead as planned."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.