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Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance has once again sparked fury — this time close to home — as neighbors fume over his Secret Service detail temporarily closing a park in the area.
Vance lives near the Judy Lowe Neighborhood Park in Alexandria, Virginia, and locals are not hiding their disappointment after the city announced that it would have to temporarily close the park as well as restrict traffic and on-street parking nearby to provide protection for the Ohio senator. The changes started on Sunday, August 25, a city notice read.
“There will be a significant [US Secret Service] presence in the area providing security for a Secret Service Protectee,” the announcement posted on August 23 said, adding that the park will be “temporarily closed until further notice.” The park, which boasts tree-covered benches and a small playground, sits at the intersection of East Del Ray Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.
ALX Now first reported the temporary closure. Neighbors voiced their issues with the new arrangements in the website’s comment section and on X. Some even suggested a drastic alternative: Vance should move.
“I am all for protecting people, but if that park is such a danger, he should probably move,” one person suggested. “The park belongs to the city and the people of Alexandria, not his protection staff. And to be perfectly honest, a true Republican would not want the government infringing on other people’s rights.”
“Move JD instead,” one wrote on X.
Others said that the measure by the Secret Service was too extreme.
“This seems like overkill,” another remarked. “It’s like a .25 acre park with a tot lot. There is nothing anyone could get up to there that couldn’t be seen by the Secret Service. If loony protestors wanted to gather there, they could be denied a permit or told to leave if they don’t have one.”
“The park belongs to the residents of Alexandria,” yet another fumed. “They should be able to freely use the City resources regardless who lives adjacent to the park. Let the Secret Service figure it out. What happens if some other high level protectee move in adjacent to some other park?”
Others, however, said the move was necessary, pointing to the recent assassination attempt against Trump. At his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, the former president suffered a wound to his ear. One in the crowd died and two others were injured.
The Secret Service has since been criticized for failing to prevent a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle from firing at Trump during the outdoor rally. Shortly after being grilled at a congressional hearing, where she admitted the shooting was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” the then-director of the agency Kimberly Cheatle resigned.
On Saturday, the Secret Service placed multiple agents involved in the incident on leave.
“Seriously, closing a park for a security perimeter? It’s not like his running mate was almost assassinated or anything… oh wait,” one wrote.
“Many of these comments are a poor reflection of Alexandria and that community in particular,” one person said. “Yes, there is a reason to think anyone with locally unpopular views is in physical danger. There was an assassination attempt a month ago on a candidate and the dangers are all too real.”
His neighbors are the lastest group to be upset by Vance.
Since he was named as Trump’s vice presidential pick, Vance has been subjected to an onslaught of negative media coverage. He met the wrath of the childless community when his past comments calling Vice President Kamala Harris a “childless cat lady” resurfaced. He also angered former classmates and friends with his ideolological pivot from once calling Trump “America’s Hitler” to becoming his running mate.
