“People, particularly women, will understand just how scary this was”
17:57, 23 Mar 2026Updated 19:29, 23 Mar 2026
West of England Combined Authority mayor Helen Godwin(Image: John Wimperis)
Police are investigating after the metro mayor of the West of England said she felt ‘trapped and unsafe’ in her own office building, after she was chased out of a meeting this morning and followed into a lift by an activist who refused to leave.
Helen Godwin has slammed the activists, understood to be from the community union ACORN, after their members tried to challenge her at a meeting of the West of England combined authority.
Ms Godwin attended the regular WECA Scrutiny committee meeting, held on Monday morning at WECA’s headquarters in Redcliffe.
She answered questions from committee members and the public before leaving the meeting after around half an hour, and said she was then pursued by a group of activists who had been in the public gallery.
She said one of them got through to the corridors of the office building in Redcliff Street, followed her into a lift and refused to get out. The police were called.
She said that people, ‘particularly women, will understand just how scary this was,’ and she felt ‘trapped and unsafe’. Acorn defended their actions, and a spokesperson for the group said the metro mayor’s claim that she was ‘trapped’ was ‘particularly odd’.
Metro Mayor Helen Godwin launches the West of England Transport Vision(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
Bristol Live understands ACORN Bristol, whose members are well-known for their direct action protests and lobbying everyone from bailiff firms and council housing departments to We The Curious and City Hall over the past ten years in Bristol, were there to challenge the metro mayor on her pre-election pledges.
But Ms Godwin said the confrontation left her shaken.
“I pride myself on talking to people across the West Country every day, being open and accessible, including my usual question time slot with our scrutiny committee today,” she said.
“That’s an important part of our democracy and something I really enjoy as part of the job.
“But today, as I tried to leave the room, a group of people ran after me, shouting. A man followed me into a lift and refused to leave, despite being asked repeatedly,” she added.
“People, particularly women, will understand just how scary this was. I felt trapped and unsafe. The police had to be called, and they are now investigating.
“Aggression is not activism, and tactics like this designed to intimidate politicians have no place in our society,” she added.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police confirmed they attended, but did not say any arrests had been made.
Acorn activists at a separate protest, this time at Sovereign SNG housing association in Filton(Image: Acorn Bristol)
“We attended the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) offices in Redcliff Street, Bristol, at about 10.30am today (Monday 23 March), after receiving a report that an elected official was confronted by members of the public following a meeting. Enquiries into this incident are ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
ACORN Bristol defended its actions after Helen Godwin’s statement about what happened this morning, describing her claim she was ‘trapped’ was ‘odd.
ACORN spokesperson Abi said the community union had sent Ms Godwin a request to sign five pledges around a week before last year’s metro mayor elections, which she agreed to.
They were around the council’s use of bailiffs, homelessness and taking back control of the West of England’s bus services – something she told Bristol Live last month she wasn’t keen on doing.
Acorn said its members submitted questions to the metro mayor ahead of Monday morning’s meeting, and while some were not answered at all, the other answers were ‘met with avoidant and barely-relevant answers’.
“ACORN members attended that meeting today in the hope of being able to ask further questions directly to the mayor, but she left the meeting early,” said ACORN spokesperson Abi. “As she left the ACORN members met her in the corridor outside and tried to ask questions, but were met with a complete unwillingness to engage.
The First Bus protest in Bristol city centre(Image: Michael Lloyd Photography)
“The claim that she was ‘trapped’ is particularly odd, given that it was her own security that blocked her exit rather than any members of ACORN. The issues at hand – homelessness, bailiffs, and public control of buses disproportionately affect women, and Godwin’s lack of follow-through on pledges she made to ACORN and the public before election have let everyone down.
“But it has particularly let down the women who are impacted by our crappy bus system, out of control harassment by bailiffs sent by our councils, and a lack of collaboration between our local councils when it comes to housing people at risk of homelessness, which has left many of our members at increased risk.
“Godwin pledged to address these issues, but we’ve seen no sign of her honouring these pledges. We just want a meeting, and it’s very disappointing to see the mayor completely blow questions being asked out of proportion, to avoid taking responsibility for promises she made,” she added.
The leader of Bristol City Council, Cllr Tony Dyer (Green, Southville), said the reports about what happened to Helen Godwin were ‘deeply disturbing’.
“Intimidation or the use of intimidatory behaviours to scare, coerce or pressure someone into doing what another person wants has absolutely no place in our society,” he said.
Tony Dyer, Green leader of Bristol City Council
“Nobody has the right to impose their will on another person through physical, verbal or emotional intimidation. This is a fundamental principle of living in a democratic and free society, where people must be able to go about their work and daily lives without fear,” Cllr Dyer added.
“The reports of the incident that took place this morning at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority offices are deeply disturbing. Everyone, regardless of their role, background or beliefs, deserves to feel safe in their workplace and in public spaces. We expect that any individual, group or organisation withing to protest or demonstrate in Bristol does so peacefully, respectfully and without any intent to threaten or intimidate others,” he added.