Milkshake Game at Pride Festival Sparks Criticism

A game inspired by the tradition of throwing milkshakes at right-wing leaders has sparked criticism at Chesterfield Pride Festival in England.

The game “Throw A Milkshake at Nigel Farage” was set up on festival grounds by the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire branch of Stand Up Against Racism.  The game (which the group described the game as “harmless fun”) asked carnival goers to toss a “flavored” sponge ball at a cardboard cut-out of Farage. Prizes for winners who hit the cut-out of Farage with a “milkshake” included sweets and a badge from Stand Up Against Racism.

Farage has a history of anti-immigrant and xenophobic policy positions that align with his nationalist views. He also pledged as leader of the U.K.’s Reform Party to “ban transgender ideology” in schools and prevent social transitioning.

“I’m all for a good laugh, but this goes too far,” Farage says in response to the game.

Stand Up Against Racism says that the controversy was manufactured. Farage has already been “milkshaked” twice. The first incident was in 2019 when a 32-year-old Brexit opponent threw a Five Guys milkshake at Farage and was promptly arrested for common assault. Farage blamed the phenomenon of throwing milkshakes at politicians on “radicalized Remainers,” and that it disrupted campaigning. The second incident occurred earlier this year when Farage was hit by a McDonald’s banana milkshake, thrown by a 25-year-old woman, who was also arrested on grounds of assault. This second instance invoked humor from Farage.

A Derbyshire local told the Derbyshire Times the game was “not just disrespectful, but sets a dangerous precedent.” Police were alerted to the stall where it was set up, but because no laws were broken, no action was taken.

Stand Up Against Racism say in a statement to the Derbyshire Times: “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 act of “milkshaking” appears to be a regular phenomenon in the U.K., as this happens to many other right-wing politicians, according to The Atlantic. However, throwing food at anti-LGBTQ+ spokespeople is nothing new. The infamous tomato soup incident marks the time Posie Parker, an anti-trans “gender critical” podcast host, had a can of tomato soup thrown in her face at a trans-exclusionary women’s rights rally she hosted in 2023.

One might also recall the banana cream pie thrown in Anita Bryant’s face at a press conference while reporters questioned her about her national crusade against homosexuals. “At least it was a fruit pie,” she said in response.

Conservative talk show host Alex Phillips, Farage’s colleague, makes comparable remarks to some supporters of Donald Trump following his assassination attempt: “He feels like he’s got a duty, an obligation, that he can stick his head above the parapet and speak out for people like you. Whether you love him or loathe him, he is doing it for you. And frankly, Chesterfield Pride needs to grow up, because they would not accept this if this was against a gay politician.”

Chesterfield Pride declined to comment.