Two workmen who hauled a protester out of their compound after a cup was thrown at Nigel Farage in Barnsley this week said they are ‘quite surprised’ at the video going viral.

Some 1.8 million people have viewed a video of the incident on Nigel Farage’s X, formerly Twitter, page since it happened on June 11.

Three workmen can be seen hauling a protester out of their compound after a paper cup was thrown at Mr Farage, narrowly missing him.

Mr Farage, who said the incident was ‘pretty nasty’, was on the open-topped bus on Eldon Street to launch a bid for three Barnsley seats for Reform UK in the upcoming general election.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage makes a speech on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, whilst on the General Election campaign trail. Photo credit: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

South Yorkshire Police has since said Josh Greally, 28, of Clowne in Derbyshire, was charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

Paul Stott and Mick Wright, two of the workmen who were involved in removing a protester, said they were working on the Globe Holidays office and the Leslie Frances hair salon on behalf of Creative Building Projects when the incident occurred.

Mr Stott said: “We saw the bus turn up, saw something hit the bus, and saw someone in the compound. Our priority was to get him out. We don’t mess about. We just threw him out. We usually keep the gate shut, it must have been opened. Reform UK said thanks for what we did. Our bosses were quite thankful.”

Mr Wright added: “We didn’t do it because it was Reform. It didn’t matter who was there. We can’t have people in the compound”.

Mr Stott said the video being viewed 1.8m times was ‘quite surprising’.

Workmen who hauled protester away after cup thrown at Nigel Farage ‘quite surprised’ at viral video