# Milkshaking > Milkshaking is a 2019 UK protest tactic where activists threw milkshakes at right-wing figures including Nigel Farage, Carl Benjamin, and Tommy Robinson during European Parliament election campaigning. Milkshaking is the practice of throwing milkshakes at right-wing political figures as a form of street protest. The trend took off across the United Kingdom in May 2019 during European Parliament election campaigning, targeting Tommy Robinson, Carl Benjamin, and Nigel Farage in quick succession[1]. It sparked fierce debate about the line between political theater and assault, a wave of memes and brand involvement, and one widely debunked hoax about cement-laced drinks[4]. ## Origin On May 1, 2019, a protester tossed a milkshake at far-right activist Tommy Robinson on a sidewalk in Bury, England[7]. The following day, a man named Danyaal Mahmud dumped a McDonald's milkshake over Robinson's head during a confrontation in Warrington[1]. The Observer tracked Mahmud down and described him as an "everyday hero"[1]. Both milkshakes were reportedly strawberry. Robinson responded to the second incident by punching the thrower[8]. The trend drew inspiration from the "Egg Boy" incident in March 2019, when Australian teenager Will Connolly smashed an egg on the head of far-right senator Fraser Anning[3]. Egging went viral and showed how food-based protest could make a right-wing figure look foolish on camera. But milkshaking took the concept further. As the Daily Dot put it, "for whatever reason, milkshaking took off in a way egging didn't"[3]. - **Platform:** YouTube, Twitter (viral spread) - **Creator:** Danyaal Mahmud (first viral milkshaker) - **Date:** 2019 ## Overview The concept is straightforward: buy a milkshake, dump it on a political figure you oppose. Targets have been almost exclusively right-wing or far-right politicians and activists[3]. The appeal lies in its accessibility and visual impact, since a politician drenched in pink milkshake looks ridiculous rather than powerful. The tactic sits in a long tradition of food-based political protest alongside egging and pieing, but milkshakes offered a key practical advantage. As philosopher Dr. Benjamin Franks of the University of Glasgow explained, "Nowadays, carrying raw eggs to a nationalist meeting would require some backstory to justify it if challenged by the police. Carrying a milkshake, previously, did not"[1]. ## How It Spread Milkshaking spread rapidly through May 2019 as European Parliament campaigns put far-right candidates on streets across Britain. UKIP candidate Carl Benjamin, an anti-feminist YouTuber known as Sargon of Akkad, was milkshaked four times in a single week while campaigning in Salisbury, Truro, Totnes, and Plymouth[2]. A local ice cream parlour in Totnes called Delphini's was urged by police to withdraw its cheeky 99p milkshake offer[1]. The University of the West of England cancelled a hustings where Benjamin was due to appear out of fears of disturbances[2]. On May 16, police in Edinburgh asked a McDonald's near a Nigel Farage campaign event to stop selling milkshakes[2]. Burger King's UK Twitter account responded by advertising milkshakes in Scotland, a tweet that picked up over 106,000 likes and 19,000 retweets[7]. Four days later, Farage himself was hit with a milkshake while campaigning in Newcastle, England[7]. Slogans like "The Revolution will be Pasteurised!" and "Lactose Against Intolerance!" spread online, and a group called "Milkshakes Against Racism" launched a JustGiving page to fund organized milkshake-throwing at political events[1]. The tactic crossed the Atlantic on June 29, 2019. During clashes between Proud Boys and antifascist counter-protesters in Portland, Oregon, journalist Andy Ngo was hit with milkshakes, sprayed with Silly String, and physically assaulted[5]. "I just got beat up by the crowd, no police at all, in the middle of the street," Ngo said in a video posted shortly after the attack, showing blood on his face and milkshake in his hair[5]. The footage spread rapidly across social media within hours[9]. ## How to Use Milkshaking as an online meme typically takes a few forms: 1. **Sharing footage or photos** of milkshaking incidents with humorous commentary or captions 2. **Photoshop edits** placing milkshake-drenched politicians into other meme templates or movie scenes 3. **Brand engagement screenshots**, especially the Burger King Scotland tweet 4. **Ironic anticipation posts** when a controversial political figure announces a public appearance 5. **Protest slogans** like "Lactose Against Intolerance" used in comment sections and social media bios ## Cultural Impact Milkshaking broke through into mainstream political discourse in a way few protest tactics do. It was debated by former prime ministers, analyzed by university philosophers, and covered by publications from The Financial Times to The Atlantic[1][3]. Major brands waded into the conversation, with Burger King's tweet becoming a viral marketing case study. The practice forced real operational changes. Police asked fast-food restaurants to halt milkshake sales during political events, which only amplified media coverage and public amusement[1]. The cement milkshake hoax spawned its own media literacy discussion, studied as a case of how falsehoods get laundered through official channels and amplified by partisan outlets[4]. Milkshaking also became a fundraising engine for both sides. Supporters of the milkshakers set up JustGiving pages and organized events[1]. Supporters of the targets raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through GoFundMe campaigns[3]. ## Fun Facts - Both milkshakes thrown at Tommy Robinson on May 1 and 2, 2019, were reportedly strawberry[1]. - A local ice cream parlour in Totnes called Delphini's was asked by police to pull its cheeky 99p milkshake deal when Carl Benjamin came to town[1]. - Fox News initially reported the Portland cement milkshake story as fact, then quietly rewrote the headline and article after the debunking[4]. - Farage posed with his own McDonald's milkshake on social media just hours after the 2024 Clacton incident, turning the attack into a publicity photo op[6]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is milkshaking? Milkshaking is the act of throwing a milkshake at a political figure, typically a right-wing one, as a form of protest[3]. It sits in a longer tradition of food-based protest like egging and pieing[1]. ### Where did milkshaking come from? The modern trend started on May 1, 2019, when a protester threw a milkshake at Tommy Robinson in Bury, England. The following day, Danyaal Mahmud dumped a milkshake on Robinson in Warrington and the video went viral[1]. ### What does milkshaking mean? It's both a literal act and a symbolic one. The milkshake is meant to humiliate rather than harm, making the target look ridiculous and undermining their image of authority and control[1]. ### How do you use the milkshaking meme? Online, people share footage and photos of milkshaking incidents, create photoshop edits, and post ironic milkshake-related content when controversial politicians announce public appearances[6]. ### Is milkshaking still popular? The practice flares up around political events. After going quiet for several years, it returned to the spotlight in June 2024 when Nigel Farage was milkshaked again while campaigning in Clacton[6]. ### Was there really cement in the Portland milkshakes? No. Portland Police tweeted they had "received information" about cement milkshakes, but Willamette Week's investigation found no physical evidence. The claim originated from one officer's observation and an anonymous email[4]. ### Did anyone face legal consequences for milkshaking? Yes. Multiple milkshakers were arrested and charged with common assault. A GoFundMe set up by conservative commentator Michelle Malkin for Andy Ngo raised nearly $200,000 for his medical expenses[3]. ### Why did McDonald's stop selling milkshakes? Police in Edinburgh asked a McDonald's near a Nigel Farage campaign event to stop selling milkshakes to prevent them from being used as projectiles[2]. ### What was Burger King's response? After McDonald's halted milkshake sales, Burger King UK tweeted that they would keep selling milkshakes in Scotland[3]. The tweet was one of the most viral brand moments of May 2019. ### How is milkshaking different from egging? Both are food-based protest tactics, but milkshaking involves a liquid that drenches and stains clothing. Academics noted milkshakes were easier to carry without raising suspicion than raw eggs[1]. The modern milkshaking trend drew inspiration from the "Egg Boy" egging of Fraser Anning in March 2019[3]. ### Was milkshaking considered assault? Legally, yes. Milkshakers were arrested and charged with common assault in multiple cases[3]. The ethical debate was divided: some called it harmless political theater, while others argued it was a gateway to political violence[3]. ### How did the cement milkshake hoax spread? Portland Police tweeted about the alleged cement milkshakes, and conservative commentators like Jack Posobiec amplified the claim. Misleading photos of supposed concrete burns were shared widely online but were later debunked as stock photos[4]. ## References 1. [Carl Benjamin: Milkshake thrown at Ukip candidate for fourth time this week | The Independent | The Independent]() 2. [Andy Ngo beaten up by antifa activists at Portland protest]() 3. [Journalist Andy Ngo Hospitalized after Being Assaulted by an Antifa Mob | eBaum's World]() 4. [Milkshaking - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Milkshaking]() 6. [Milkshaking - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [How a Dubious Claim of Cement Milkshakes in Portland Became a Right-Wing Meme – Mother Jones]() 8. [The best memes from the milkshaking of Nigel Farage | Dazed]() 9. [What is Milkshaking? The Political Protest and Meme, Explained]() 10. [â?oLactose Against Intolerance!â?? How milkshake became a tool of protest]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/milkshaking Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library