Police asked a McDonald’s restaurant near an Edinburgh venue where Nigel Farage was speaking not to sell milkshakes because of concerns protesters might throw them at the Brexit party leader.
A sign appeared on Friday in the window of the McDonald’s on New Market Road, which is less than 200 metres from the Corn Exchange where the campaign rally was to take place, saying: “We will not be selling milkshakes or ice cream tonight. This is due to a police request given recent events.”
The request follows a series of incidents in which far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson and the Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin have had milkshakes and other food thrown at them by protesters during the European elections campaign.
Scott Macdonald, an online co-ordinator for the Scottish Socialist party, posted a photo of the sign on Twitter, saying it was in “the McDonald’s next to the Farage demo. Someone clearly got wind”.
The McDonald's next to the Farage demo. Someone clearly got wind. pic.twitter.com/kHETQ66TOq
— Scott Macdonald (@scott_eff) May 17, 2019
A McDonald’s spokesperson confirmed they had been asked to stop sales of its milkshake and McFlurry products on Friday evening.
Robinson, the former English Defence League leader whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had milkshakes thrown at him twice in two days earlier this month while campaigning in the north-west. He is standing as an independent candidate for the region in the European elections.
Benjamin was in Truro, Cornwall, a week ago when two protesters tried to throw the drink over him during a public gathering with the far-right activist Milo Yiannopoulos.
Benjamin is being investigated by police for rape comments targeted at the Labour MP Jess Phillips.
