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Conrad Duncan
May 21, 2019
A man has been charged with assault for throwing a milkshake at Nigel Farage.
Northumbria Police announced this morning that a 32-year-old man has been charged with common assault and criminal damage in relation to the “milkshaking” of the Brexit Party leader.
The criminal damage charge is related to a microphone Farage was wearing at the time.
We have charged a man with common assault and criminal damage following an incident in #Newcastle city centre yeste… https://t.co/ihfGjitYuH— Northumbria Police (@Northumbria Police) 1558424659
The incident sparked widespread controversy yesterday with many people debating whether it was okay to throw a milkshake at Farage and if it was okay to laugh at it.
The outrage suggested that politicians being hit by milkshakes is a completely new phenomenon, but it is more of an adaption of the long history of politicians being egged in public.
This is how former Labour leader Ed Miliband reacted when he was egged a few years ago.
While most people seemed to agree that throwing a milkshake at a politician isn't a good thing to do, the debate moved to whether the incident was an 'affront to democracy' as the Daily Express claimed yesterday.
Tuesday’s Daily Express: Attack on Farage is affront to democracy #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/MiMoYboGWx— Helena Wilkinson (@Helena Wilkinson) 1558387921
A number of commentators have argued that some minority groups and female MPs have to put up with much worse treatment than Farage’s milkshaking.
What's worse than having a milkshake thrown at you? - Being abused or harassed for your skin colour, religion or s… https://t.co/OD3fsUZZYR— Sunny Hundal (@Sunny Hundal) 1558424296
The idea that throwing a milkshake is violence, but inciting hate against minority groups isn't, is responsible for… https://t.co/cQ90rWyTjf— Jonn Elledge (@Jonn Elledge) 1558364782
A man has been charged for throwing milkshake on F*rage. Meanwhile a man who made a rape joke about a female female… https://t.co/pkrlgkBJRv— Seyi Akiwowo (@Seyi Akiwowo) 1558429352
In relation to Akiwowo's tweet, West Midlands Police announced they were launching an investigation into UKIP candidate Carl Benjamin earlier this month after he repeatedly made comments about raping Labour MP Jess Phillips.
But other people came out against the incident by saying it was unacceptable to throw a milkshake at any politician, regardless of their views.
That included people who support Brexit…
It doesn’t matter if you are Brexit or Remain, Right or Left, if someone can throw a milkshake over a politician th… https://t.co/EwgAWPv8fe— Harriet Sergeant (@Harriet Sergeant) 1558424756
And Remainers...
Throwing milkshakes or whatever else at people is not the answer and is unjustifiable whoever the recipient may be.… https://t.co/ztFJgVFL75— Gary Lineker 💙 (@Gary Lineker 💙) 1558368795
Unacceptable. Wrong. Unjustified. British politics sinks even further in to the gutter. https://t.co/iW4o2KxUrU— Anna Soubry (@Anna Soubry) 1558367906
Brendan Cox, the widow of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, also stepped in to criticise people who were trying to turn the incident into a left-wing v right-wing debate.
#milkshakegate is a classic example of fake polarisation. The vast majority of the public think throwing stuff at p… https://t.co/j7mOTh4tqm— Brendan Cox (@Brendan Cox) 1558431145
Even if you think it’s funny, we should be able to agree that it wouldn’t be good if politicians (or any people) were having milkshakes thrown at them all the time.
It can also be true that Farage being hit by a milkshake is both not a big deal and something that shouldn't be encouraged.
Hopefully, this whole thing will calm down soon and we can talk about something else.
Or maybe not…
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