No Special Treatment: Ballsy London Traffic Warden Tickets Hillary Clinton's Mercedes Despite Protest From Secret Service
A ballsy traffic warden determined to uphold the law in London ticketed the vehicle carrying former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton around that city last Saturday despite protest from secret service agents because it was parked for 45 minutes without payment of the appropriate parking fees.
Photographer Greg Brennan who witnessed and captured the moment on camera told the Daily Mail that five members of Clinton's security detail were waiting inside a van near Clinton's silver Mercedes because it was raining.
During this time, the traffic warden approached the vehicle and issued an £80 parking ticket for the car while Clinton attended an event at Chatham House where she was being honored for her contribution to international diplomacy.
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Clinton, 65, had reportedly arrived prior to the incident in a five-car motorcade protected by 10 security agents according to Brennan. The car that transported her was parked in an area on St. James Square in Mayfair where parking costs £3.30 per hour.
Brennan said once Clinton's security team saw the vehicle get ticketed they jumped out of the van and staged a protest. One of the agents reportedly angrily flashed his badge at the warden who simply carried on with his job.
Councilor Daniel Astaire of the Westminster City Council cabinet noted in the report that: "Despite our traffic marshal being questioned by the secret service for just doing his job, he was in the right.
"The former US Secretary of State was parked for nearly 45 minutes without paying. I'm sure she will understand that we have to be fair to everyone, regardless of their status on the world stage," he noted.
"For future reference, Mrs. Clinton can now also download a parking app for her iPhone which will tell her in real time where a parking space is in the City of Westminster," he added.
Although the parking ticket came with an £80 fine if it is paid within 14 days it is reduced to £40. As of Wednesday the ticket remained unpaid. The report notes that it can be appealed at any time before October 25 as well.
