Incident Overview
A 25-year-old woman, Victoria Thomas Bowen, has been charged with assault by beating and criminal damage after throwing a milkshake at Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK. The incident occurred during a campaign event in Clacton on Tuesday.
Victoria Thomas Bowen Court Appearance
Bowen is scheduled to appear at Colchester magistrates court on Tuesday, 2 July, according to Essex police.
Details of the Incident
The charges stem from a Tuesday incident around 2:10 pm in Clacton’s Marine Parade East area. Farage was splashed with a yellow liquid from a McDonald’s cup as he left the Moon and Starfish pub and was about to board a campaign bus. After announcing his candidacy in the constituency, he had just addressed a crowd of several hundred people.
Past Incidents
This is not the first time Farage has been a victim of a “milkshake.” In 2019, he was hit with a £5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel milkshake while campaigning in Newcastle.
Police Actions
A 44-year-old man, initially arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker in connection with the incident, has been released without further action.
Farage’s Response
Farage made light of the incident in a social media clip, humorously stating, “My milkshake brings all the people to the rally,” while holding a McDonald’s milkshake.
Who is Nigel Farage?
Nigel Farage is a British politician and prominent figure in the UK’s political landscape.
Born on April 3, 1964, he began his career in finance before entering politics. Farage co-founded the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and served as its leader, becoming a key advocate for the UK’s departure from the European Union, commonly known as Brexit.
His outspoken and charismatic style made him a polarizing figure. In recent years, Farage has been associated with the Reform UK party, continuing his political activism and public engagement.