Nigel Farage offered private security as man charged after objects thrown during campaign
Nigel Farage has been offered additional private security by the Home Office after a milkshake and other objects have been thrown at him during campaigning for the General Election.
It comes as a man has been charged after a cup and another object were thrown at the Reform UK leader while he was on his party’s battle bus in South Yorkshire.
Josh Greally, 28, has been charged with using threatening behaviour towards the Mr Farage on Tuesday, South Yorkshire Police said.
The Reform UK leader was on top of a party battle bus in Barnsley when a cup was thrown, narrowly missing him.
Video footage of the incident showed a man in a red hoodie shouting from a construction site below, before reaching into a bucket and throwing something else, which also missed.
It is understood that the Home Office has been in touch with the Reform UK leader to offer additional private security.
On Wednesday, South Yorkshire Police said Josh Greally, 28, was charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.
He has been released on bail to appear before Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on June 26.
Mr Farage, speaking while campaigning in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, said the incident was “pretty nasty”.
Politicians from other parties joined Mr Farage in condemning “violence” towards General Election candidates.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “There must be no place for violence and intimidation in our politics and these actions should be condemned by everyone.”
Stephanie Peacock, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Barnsley South, said: “Intimidation has no place in our politics.
“I condemn the violence we saw in Barnsley town centre today.”
It comes just one week after Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, was charged with assault by beating and criminal damage when a milkshake was thrown over Mr Farage after he left a Wetherspoons pub in Essex.
The politician was seen with yellow drink splattered down his suit as he boarded the campaign bus, with Thomas Bowen due to appear before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on 2 July.
Police chiefs say it is difficult to work out the intentions of people in crowds when would-be MPs are out campaigning, but that the candidates may not want to be put in a bubble as they try to speak to the public.
