18 May, 2019 16:25

Cops ask McDonald’s to halt milkshake sales while Farage is in town

Scottish police reportedly asked an Edinburgh McDonald’s branch not to sell milkshakes or ice-cream during Nigel Farage’s visit following a spate of attacks from protesters using the dairy products as projectiles.

The former UKIP leader was in town to speak at the Corn Exchange for a Brexit Party campaign rally on Friday evening. Signs informing customers of the milkshake and ice-cream ban were posted in a nearby branch in Chesser.

The McDonald's next to the Farage demo. Someone clearly got wind. pic.twitter.com/kHETQ66TOq
— Scott Macdonald (@scott_eff) May 17, 2019

The milkshake clamp-down follows a spate of beverage-based attacks on far-right activist Tommy Robinson and UKIP MEP candidate Carl Benjamin.

The milkshake protest started with Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who was targeted with a McDonald’s milkshake in Warrington in footage that quickly went viral. Robinson’s second dairy attack came soon after, during a visit to Greater Manchester while on the campaign trail.

Benjamin was “milkshaked” three times in as many days when he was visiting constituents in Cornwall, Plymouth, and Devon.

Hey, @McDonalds, this is Nigel. He really wants a milkshake in Edinburgh, but can't find anywhere selling them. Can you please chuck one his way for him? pic.twitter.com/O6il9wHcoD
— Tess Stenson (@TessStenson) May 18, 2019

McDonald’s rival Burger King appeared to take the opportunity to fill a gap in the market by letting customers know via Twitter they will be selling milkshakes “all weekend.”