LONDON (Reuters) -British police said they had charged a 28-year old man with using threatening behaviour after he hurled objects at Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s Reform Party, during an election campaign event.
It was the second attack on anti-immigration campaigner Farage since he announced he was standing in next month’s election. Last week a 25-year-old woman was charged with assault for throwing a drink in his face.
Farage has now been offered additional private security by Britain’s interior ministry, Sky News reported.
Pro-Brexit campaigner Farage was travelling through Barnsley in northern England, waving to crowds from an open top bus on Tuesday, when a man threw what appeared to be large pieces of broken stone at him but missed, footage on social media showed.
Police said on Wednesday they had charged Josh Greally with using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.
As the figurehead of euroscepticism and anti-immigration sentiment, Farage has long been a divisive figure in Britain. After the latest attack, he said he would not be cowed by a “violent left-wing mob”.
While the interior ministry said it did not comment on individual security arrangements, officials have said all election candidates have access to personal security guidance, briefings on situational awareness and cyber security help, with those at risk also provided with close protection.
Lawmaker safety has become a bigger issue in Britain. Earlier this year, a number of politicians told Reuters they were worried for their safety due to public anger over Gaza.
Greally was released on bail and will appear in court on June 26, the police statement said.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and Paul Sandle)
