Nigel Farage has objects thrown at him from construction site while on open top bus
A protester has hurled objects at Nigel Farage during a campaign trail in South Yorkshire.
The Reform UK leader was waving at supporters from the top of his party’s battle bus in Barnsley town centre on Tuesday when the incident occurred.
Mr Farage said he believed the objects were some wet cement from a work site followed by a coffee cup. He narrowly missed the objects.
A man in a red hoodie could be seen shouting from a work site below, before reaching into a bucket and throwing something else, which also missed.
The man was then seen being dragged away by people in green high-vis jackets and apprehended by a police officer.
Mr Farage said he had been warned by police not to get off the bus.
Speaking at a rally in Great Yarmouth on Tuesday evening, Mr Farage said the incident demonstrated that: “our democratic process is directly under threat”.
He added: “It’s an attempt to stop us campaigning. It’s an attempt to crush democracy.
“It’s worrying, it’s frightening and it’s noticeable that most of the people there today were young men and women either at or freshly out of our university system.
“Their minds are being poisoned in school, in university and it’s plain wrong.”
The politician shared a video which showed a man in a red jacket throwing objects from a building site before being tackled by police.
A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of public order offences following the incident.
South Yorkshire Police said: “We have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of public order offences following disorder in Barnsley town centre today.
“It is believed that the man threw objects from a nearby construction area.
“A suspect was quickly detained and remains in police custody.”
Speaking just before the incident, Mr Farage accused the Conservative Party and its manifesto of “lies”.
“I’m sorry to use this word – more lies, more lies.
“In 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, they told us they would reduce immigration and they’ll be saying the same thing today.
“They’re also saying today they’re going to reduce tax.
“Well, hang on. The tax burden has now risen. It’s the highest it’s been since 1948.
“I don’t believe a single word that they say and I think, increasingly, nor does the country.
“The funny thing is that, with (Sir) Keir Starmer, I literally still have no idea what he believes in.”
A similar incident occurred last Tuesday, when the Reform Party leader had a McDonalds milkshake thrown over him after launching his campaign for the general election.
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, was charged with assault by beating and criminal damage when a yellow-coloured drink was thrown over Mr Farage as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoon pub in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex. Thomas Bowen is due to appear before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on 2 July.
Mr Farage has been targeted multiple times by protesters throwing objects on him. He was first hit by a milkshake while in Newcastle in 2019.