A pro-Brexit flotilla organised by north-east group Fishing for Leave descended into chaos today after musician Bob Geldof and UKIP leader Nigel Farage stole the spotlight.
Mr Farage set sail on a small trawler at the head of the fleet of 50 to 60 vessels which passed under London’s Tower Bridge at around 10am this morning before being intercepted by activists including Mr Geldof.
The event, organised by the Peterhead outfit, was designed to convince voters to back Britain leaving the EU but instead descended into farce after Boomtown Rats and BandAid musician Bob Geldof blasted songs and insults at the UKIP leader.
Calling Mr Farage a “fraud”, Geldof said: “You are no fisherman’s friend. You are a fraud, Nigel.
“Go back down the river because you are up one without a canoe or a paddle.
“Stop lying. This election is too important.”
Bob Geldof pulls up alongside HMS Farage and shouts, “FARAGE, YOU’RE A FRAUD! YOU’RE NO FISHERMAN’S FRIEND!” pic.twitter.com/TwtQqcCc6V
— Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) June 15, 2016
Remain crafts were then targeted with water from a fishing boat’s hose, while pro-Brexit ships cheered.
Mr Farage said the event had been organised to highlight what he called the “devastating” effect of the EU on fishing industries.
“EU membership has destroyed our industry,” said Mr Farage. “Today’s flotilla is not a celebration or a party but a full-throttled protest. We want our waters back.”
Speaking to reporters on a boat on the Thames, Mr Farage branded the Geldof protest “just disgusting”.
He said: “These are communities that have been devastated. These are communities that no-one has listened to for years.
A #fishingforleave vessel uses its hose to repel In campaigners to cries of “soak them” from the Ukip flagship. pic.twitter.com/nw0mCpZSJ1
— David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) June 15, 2016
“They are here today, they have taken – some of them – several days out of their working week to come and make their protest, to say ‘look, we want to take back control of our seas, we want to get jobs back in this industry’.
“To see multi-millionaires frankly mocking them is a pretty shameful sight.”
Britain will go to the polls to decide whether or not to remain in the EU on June 23.
