Man charged with throwing milkshake at Nigel Farage to appear in court

Paul Crowther, 32, says act was 'a right of protest against people like him'

A man who threw a milkshake at Nigel Farage while he was campaigning in Newcastle city centre is due in court today facing charges of common assault and criminal damage.

The Brexit Party leader's suit was left covered with the banana and salted caramel Five Guys drink as he garnered support ahead of last month's European elections.

Paul Crowther, 32, was arrested at the scene after being filmed dousing Mr Farage with the milkshake. A voice can be heard shouting “fascist!” as Mr Farage walks away in a video of the incident.

Mr Crowther later told journalists the act was “a right of protest against people like him”.

“The bile and the racism he spouts out in this country is far more damaging than a bit of milkshake to his front,” he said.

Mr Crowther, of Holeyn Road in Throckley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was charged by Northumbria Police with common assault and criminal damage.

The criminal damage charge relates to a microphone which was damaged during the incident on 20 May, the force said.

Mr Crowther is due to appear at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Mr Farage was heard telling a member of security staff that he “could have spotted that a mile off”.

Later that day, the Brexit Party leader said: “I won't even acknowledge the low-grade behaviour that I was subjected to this morning, I won't dignify it, I will ignore it.

“Perhaps keep buying new clothes and carry on.”

Days after the incident in Newcastle, Mr Farage reportedly got stuck on his campaign bus when it arrived in Kent after people armed with milkshakes surrounded the vehicle.

He later tweeted: “Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.

“For a civilised democracy to work you need the losers consent, politicians not accepting the referendum result have led us to this.”

Milkshakes were also thrown at Tommy Robinson and Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin in the run-up to the European elections.

Mr Benjamin, a far-right activist, had four milkshakes thrown at him in the space of a week.

Additional reporting by PA