First a banana milkshake was thrown, this time it was probably freshly mixed cement: Politician Nigel Farage has been physically attacked for the second time in the current election campaign. According to British media reports, the 60-year-old was hit by a passer-by during an appearance in the town of Barnsley (between Leeds and Sheffield).
Farage, known as “Mr. Brexit,” drove through the street on a double-decker bus and was apparently able to duck away from the flying mud. The attacker, a man in a red hoodie, had apparently previously “helped himself” to cement at a construction site on the side of the road. A coffee mug is also said to have been thrown in the direction of the British politician.
Construction workers then detained the cement thrower, and according to the Daily Mail, there were heated arguments between both sides. According to the BBC, the police were alerted and arrested the attacker shortly afterwards and took down his personal details. He is said to be 28 years old.
Farage had just made an election campaign appearance, during which there had already been verbal battles and arguments with listeners. According to the BBC, a group called “Stand Up to Racism” had called for protests against Farage and was then represented on site. The police then advised the politician to retreat to the bus and not leave it, the BBC writes.
A few days earlier, a young woman had disrupted a campaign appearance by the former Tory politician, who is now running for the party he co-founded, Reform UK. The woman threw a banana milkshake at Farage and soiled the 60-year-old’s face and clothing. Criminal charges were filed against her.
Farage himself subsequently joked about milkshakes in various social media posts. But it should also be clear that such actions will not leave him unscathed, especially since they always pose a security risk. In a statement, the 60-year-old was nevertheless combative: “These people want to stop my election campaign. That will never happen.”
According to polls, Reform UK (founded in 2018 as the “Brexit Party” and under a new name since 2020) could land a remarkable 14 percent of the vote in the upcoming British parliamentary elections. Farage recently personally got involved in the election campaign, has been party leader since the beginning of June 2024 and is now standing for election in this role. The election will take place on July 4, 2024.