Police patrolled the grounds of Blenheim Palace and neighbouring streets yesterday to thwart a planned Fathers 4 Justice protest.
Officers descended on the 18th century stately home and its 2,000 acres of parkland after a tip-off the campaign group was planning a St George's Day publicity stunt.
Palace staff were also put on high alert.
Ch Insp Dennis Evernden, West Oxfordshire police chief, said last night: "We had intelligence to suggest that Fathers 4 Justice may have been preparing for some publicity stunt to coincide with St George's Day, with Blenheim Palace as the venue.
"We worked in partnership with Blenheim Estates so should any activity take place we were in a position to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff and the public visiting."
But with a police van parked outside The Star pub, where protesters were believed to be planning to meet, and officers patrolling the area, no-one showed.
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The suspected protest was thought to have been part of a wider St George's Day campaign by the group, with other stunts planned in Scotland and near Bristol.
But it is thought the group decided to call off the protest after a newspaper ran a story about the plans.
Mr Evernden said he did not know why the protest failed to happen.
He said: "The police presence and the increased security from Blenheim Palace themselves may have deterred them, or they may have thought it was a wet morning and decided not to come."
An email purporting to be from the group and obtained by the Oxford Mail said: "We need your support urgently.
"Several brave Fathers 4 Justice activists will be in action at Blenheim Palace, home of Winston Churchill, and this will be a significant protest.
"Protesters and dress code theme will be St George, Winston Churchill and English flags.
"We are in our own Battle of Britain, the UK is in breakdown - family breakdown - the devastating effects of this can be seen on every street corner; young offending, drug taking, violent crime and welfare dependency.
"We must force the family courts in London to establish a legal presumption to contact between children and their parents."
The group was founded in December 2002 as a campaign group aiming for reform in family law.
Members have powder-bombed former Prime Minister Tony Blair in the House of Commons, scaled the balcony at Buckingham Palace in a Batman costume, invaded the pulpit at York Minster during a General Synod service and taken the live National Lottery Draw off air.
Its officials temporarily suspended operation in January 2006 after a splinter group was accused of plotting to kidnap Tony Blair's son.
Posted by: Richard, London on 1:11pm Thu 24 Apr 08
Come on lets be honest, Matt O’Connor was, is and always will be an egomaniac. What won’t he do to get and keep his name in lights? First it was F4J and his exploitation of disenfranchised fathers all of whom once he had his fill he deserted, all that is bar the very few so enamored and entranced by him they refuse to realize his willful manipulation of their needs the like of which he exploits by having them draw attention to his one and only cause namely himself by way of protest. Not surprising is it then that upon putting his name up for London Mayor so out he brings his minions as fall guys to highlight the one and only! Please Matt please don’t try and kid us anymore your for fathers, if so then its high time you climbed a crane or Buck palace instead of standing in front a media camera. All is a publicity stunt with you as the focal point as for your foot soldiers you couldn’t give a damm
Come on lets be honest, Matt O’Connor was, is and always will be an egomaniac. What won’t he do to get and keep his name in lights? First it was F4J and his exploitation of disenfranchised fathers all of whom once he had his fill he deserted, all that is bar the very few so enamored and entranced by him they refuse to realize his willful manipulation of their needs the like of which he exploits by having them draw attention to his one and only cause namely himself by way of protest. Not surprising is it then that upon putting his name up for London Mayor so out he brings his minions as fall guys to highlight the one and only! Please Matt please don’t try and kid us anymore your for fathers, if so then its high time you climbed a crane or Buck palace instead of standing in front a media camera. All is a publicity stunt with you as the focal point as for your foot soldiers you couldn’t give a damm
Posted by: Richard, London on 1:50pm Fri 25 Apr 08
O’Connor pulls out of mayor race:
Explaining his decision to stop campaigning with less than a week to go before polling day, Mr O’Connor said “he had been unhappy with the lack of coverage he was getting from the media”. Just as expected and due to his hunger for media attention at long last his past exploitation of the underdog has finally caught up with him. Time now Matt to put your own house in order before messing up the lives of others as indeed you did do with F4J.
O’Connor pulls out of mayor race:
Explaining his decision to stop campaigning with less than a week to go before polling day, Mr O’Connor said “he had been unhappy with the lack of coverage he was getting from the media”. Just as expected and due to his hunger for media attention at long last his past exploitation of the underdog has finally caught up with him. Time now Matt to put your own house in order before messing up the lives of others as indeed you did do with F4J.
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