LONDON: The lowly milkshake has turned into an unlikely weapon of choice for Britons determined to make a splashy statement against the rise of the Brexit-backing populist right.

Former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage became the latest political figure on Monday to be doused with the sticky concoction while campaigning for his new Brexit Party in this week’s European Parliament election. Images shared on social media showed a grim-faced Farage — his black suit covered from shoulder to toe — being led away by a bodyguard during a campaign stop in the northern city of Newcastle. The suspected culprit said it was a 5.25 ($6.70, six euro) banana and salted caramel shake he bought at the local Five Guys hamburger chain store.

“I didn’t know he was in town. I thought this is my only chance,” the 32-year-old was quoted as saying before being detained by the police. First-time offenders in such cases usually pay a small fine.

In a tweet, Farage blamed the incident on EU supporters who “have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible”.

The European Parliament election campaign has turned into a test of Britons’ support for Brexit three years after they first narrowly voted to leave the bloc.

Farage’s Brexit Party is leading the polls on its promise to get Britain out quickly and by any means.

The Remain camp’s milkshake resistance meanwhile has also targeted a far-right leader who is best known by his online alias Tommy Robinson — an adviser to UKIP who once headed the now-banned English Defence League.

A clip that went viral this month showed a young man of Asian descent splashing Robinson in the face with a McDonald’s drink in response to something the far-right leader said. Robinson fought back by landing a few punches at the man before being restrained. Meanwhile UKIP European Parliament candidate Carl Benjamin — known by his social media pseudonym Sargon of Akkad — has been “milkshaked” at least four times this month.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2019