Tommy Robinson's Campaign Van Targetted With Eggs And Milkshake In Bootle, Merseyside

Police officers use powers under the Public Order Act to separate demonstrators.
|

Eggs have been thrown at a van as it arrived at a Tommy Robinson election campaign event in Merseyside.

Counter-demonstrators attempted to block the van, which was part of the European elections campaign team of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as it arrived on Douglas Place in Bootle.

Police officers moved demonstrators who were sitting in the road as Yaxley-Lennon supporters watched and chanted at them.

Eggs hit the windscreen of the van and a bottle of what appeared to be milkshake was thrown as scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police.

Yaxley-Lennon supporters and counter-protesters gathered in Bootle ahead of the campaigner’s planned visit. 

Open Image Modal
A van with egg shells on as eggs have been thrown at it during a Tommy Robinson election campaign event in Bootle, Merseyside.
PA Wire/PA Images

About 50 police officers were on the scene and used powers under the Public Order Act to separate the two sets of demonstrators.

Robinson supporters chanted: “Tommy’s going to be your MEP.”

Counter-demonstrators held placards saying: “Oppose Tommy Robinson, don’t let the racists divide us.”

When Yaxley-Lennon arrived, he walked in through the back of the cul-de-sac, escorted by police officers.

He was greeted by cheers from his own supporters while counter-protesters booed and shouted “fascist scum”.

Yaxley-Lennon spent about an hour at the event addressing his supporters, before being escorted away by police.

Officers, including a number of dog handlers, stepped in to separate demonstrators on nearby Derby Road after Yaxley-Lennon left.

Bootle MP Peter Dowd was among the counter-demonstrators.

He wrote on Twitter: “Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka fascist Tommy Robinson isn’t wanted in Bootle. Don’t bother coming here.”

The event comes the day after two police vehicles were damaged during a disturbance at a campaign event in Limeside, Oldham.

Yaxley-Lennon is campaigning for the European elections, in which he is standing as a candidate for the North West.

Voting in the election takes place on Thursday, while counting starts on May 26.