Organisers of a LGBTQ+ Pride event have been criticised for ‘inciting violence’ after revellers were invited to play a game of ‘toss a milkshake over Nigel Farage’.
Police were even contacted over the stall which asked carnival-goers to throw sponge balls at a cardboard cut-out of the Reform UK leader at Chesterfield Pride.
Punters were offered balls in four colours representing mango, raspberry mint and blueberry milkshakes, which they could then hurl at the controversial politician.
The stall was organised by the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire branch of Stand Up Against Racism, who described it as ‘harmless fun’.
But others slammed the game, branding it ‘pernicious’ and ‘unacceptable’ and pointed towards the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Richard McAllister, 51, said Chesterfield Pride organisers ‘should never have allowed this’ and believes the game ‘incited violence.’
He added: ‘I think it’s particularly unacceptable after the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
‘It’s pernicious and the organisers should never have allowed this.
‘The police seem to have had lots of eyes on the ground and they should have picked this up.
‘The law has to be applied equally to everyone, we can’t have them turning a blind eye to any threat of violence.
‘This is not how liberal democracy works.’
Others took to social media to express their anger, with one person commenting: ‘Utterly pathetic. Chesterfield pride is supposed to unite not divide.
‘So it’s no longer about supporting gay rights but rather a political movement. Are gay people not allowed to agree with Farage on certain topics?’
Prizes for hitting different coloured circles with the ‘milkshakes’ included a sweet or a Stand up to Racism badge.
Stand Up Against Racism Chesterfield and North Derbyshire defended the stall and described it as ‘light-hearted fun’.
A spokesperson said: ‘We like to think it’s the sort of game that Nigel himself would smile at.
‘He is surely aware that although four million people voted for him, many more object to his views on LGBT rights, women’s rights and migrants.
‘Nobody was harmed and many people had a good laugh and welcomed our presence.
‘Some community police officers did stroll past but clearly thought it was harmless fun too.
‘The spirit of Chesterfield Pride is a joyful day-out in defence of a serious cause.
‘That was the spirit of the game too.’
A spokesman for Derbyshire Constabulary confirmed they had received a complaint about the stall.
He added: ‘The report was reviewed by a sergeant and it was deemed no laws had been broken.
‘No further action is being taken.’
A Chesterfield Pride spokesman said the event took an anti-homophobic and anti-racist stance but declined to comment on the Stand Up Against Racism stall.
Victoria Thomas Bowen, 25, of Clacton, was later charged with assault by beating and criminal damage, which she denies.
She is due to stand trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 21.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
