Burger King has sparked controversy for promoting milkshakes amid a surging trend of conservative candidates having the beverage thrown at them just days before the European Parliament election.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage became the latest victim of the shock trend during a campaign event in Newcastle, England, after the fast food giant’s social media account told people in the region to “have fun” with the hashtag “justsaying.”
Dear people of Scotland.
— Burger King (@BurgerKingUK) May 18, 2019
We’re selling milkshakes all weekend.
Have fun.
Love BK #justsaying
A followup tweet hours later added they would “never endorse violence” and customers should drink responsibly.
We’d never endorse violence - or wasting our delicious milkshakes!
— Burger King (@BurgerKingUK) May 18, 2019
So enjoy the weekend and please drink responsibly people.
🍔👑
Shortly after Monday’s attack on Farage, he was overheard near security officials saying “how did you not stop that?”
Chaotic scenes in Newcastle city centre as Nigel Farage hit by a milkshake. He’s been whisked away by his security. This is the aftermath. pic.twitter.com/qxz8yay492
— Sean Seddon (@seddonnews) May 20, 2019
Later, Farage responded to the incident by warning campaigning is “becoming impossible” due to the radicalization of anti-Brexit remainers.
Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 20, 2019
For a civilised democracy to work you need the losers consent, politicians not accepting the referendum result have led us to this.
A screenshot of the protected Twitter account of the alleged thrower, Paul Crowther, appears to indicate the attack was premeditated.
Crowther, 32, has been arrested on suspicion of assault, according to Fox News.
Furthermore, a screenshot posted by journalist Nick Monroe depicts Burger King’s UK Twitter account ‘liking’ a tweet saying “Burger King is antifa.”
Burger King sponsoring Antifa pic.twitter.com/krsfwa4fbN
— Nick Monroe (@nickmon1112) May 18, 2019
Other candidates who have been hit with milkshakes this election season include Tommy Robinson and UKIP’s Carl Benjamin.
Correspondingly, a recent Tommy Robinson event supported Farage’s ‘impossible to campaign’ claim after it was disrupted by Muslims wearing balaclavas.
Tommy joins Alex to discuss the effects of censorship on his campaign and the future of populism.
(PHOTO: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
