There’s no evidence that Farage being hit by a milkshake was an inside job
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was doused with a banana milkshake after leaving a pub in Clacton-on-Sea on Tuesday afternoon, as he launched his eighth campaign for a parliamentary seat.
A 25-year-old woman, from Clacton, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault in relation to the incident, which was captured by press photographers.
As images circulated online, the suspect was falsely identified as a House of Commons press officer, while some social media users suggested the controversy was staged by Reform.
Who is the suspect?
The woman involved in the drink-throwing incident has been identified as Victoria Thomas-Bowen.
Admitting her involvement, the 25-year-old told the BBC she tossed the milkshake at Mr Farage because she âjust felt like itâ.
âHe doesnât stand for meâ, Ms Thomas-Bowen, an OnlyFans model from Grays, added. âHe doesnât represent anything I believe in, or any of the people around here. He doesnât represent us, heâs not from here.â
MailOnline spoke to the mother-of-oneâs brother, a self-described Brexit voter who lives in nearby Jaywick.
âI have just seen it, and to be honest, Iâm appalled,â he said. âI donât know where she is. I donât want anything to do with her.â
Mr Farage was targeted as he left the Moon and Starfish pub â part of the JD Wetherspoon pub chain run by well-known Brexiteer Tim Martin â where he had been speaking to reporters after holding a rally at Clacton Pier.
The 60-year-old, who has been the target of âmilkshakingâ incidents before, was seen with the yellow drink splattered across his dark blue suit as he boarded his campaign bus.
Soon after, he posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) poking fun at the incident, holding a McDonaldâs drink and saying âmy milkshake brings all the people to the rallyâ â a reference to Kelisâ 2003 song Milkshake.
A 25-year-old woman, from Clacton, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault, Essex Police said.
While officers were detaining the suspect, a man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, the force added.
They both remain in custody for questioning.
Mr Farage had a ÂŁ5.25 Five Guys banana and salted caramel milkshake thrown at him in 2019 during a campaign walkabout in Newcastle.
Culprit Paul Crowther was ordered by a court to pay compensation to Mr Farage following the act.
He admitted assault and criminal damage to a ÂŁ239 lapel microphone on Mr Farageâs suit.
âMilkshakingâ â the act of dousing public figures in milkshake â was officially recognised by Collins Dictionary the same year.
Parliamentary staffer falsely identified
As pictures of the incident went viral, a Conservative media personality was falsely identified as the milkshake-thrower.
Social media users claimed the assailant was Emily Hewertson, 24, a Brexit-supporting influencer with a prominent online profile, sharing images of her alongside the suspect.
Further unsubstantiated posts claimed that the incident had been âplanned and stagedâ to generate sympathy for Reform UK.
Ms Hewertson, who has made appearances on TalkRadio, Times Radio, the BBC, Sky News and CNN, addressed the accusations directly, posting on X: âNo, I did not throw a milkshake over Nigel Farage.â
There has been no suggestion from Essex Police that the incident was manufactured.
Home Secretary James Cleverly led the condemnation of the incident, describing it as âunacceptableâ.
He said: âThe assault on Nigel Farage is unacceptable, just as it would be for any candidate.
âThere is no excuse to resort to behaviour like this. We may disagree, but we debate, and then we vote. Thatâs democracy.â
The Conservative candidate for Clacton, Giles Watling, who Farage is bidding to oust by overturning a massive 24,702 majority, said he was sorry to hear that he had a drink thrown at him.
âWe may disagree, but every candidate has the right to campaign without fear of violence or intimidation,â Mr Watling said.
ConservativeHome founder Tim Montgomerie said the woman should be âproperly punishedâ.
Writing on X, he continued: âMPs and candidates deserve much more protection in the era when both Jo Cox and David Amess were murdered.â
Labourâs Yvette Cooper also branded the incident âcompletely unacceptableâ, adding: âNo one should face intimidation or assault in an election campaign.â
Richard Tice, the previous Reform UK leader, who was walking behind Mr Farage when he was struck, said: âThe juvenile moron who threw a drink over Nigel has just gained us hundreds of thousands more votes.
âWe will not be bullied or threatened off the campaign trail.â
