Farage security staff accused of being 'heavy-handed' at Brexit Party rally in Chester

Well-known city blogger Sh*t Chester told The Standard he was frog-marched from the site at Old Hall Country Club and Spa, on Aldford Road in Huntington on Monday afternoon (May 6).

This is despite him only being an impartial observer who had simply turned up to hear what Mr Farage had to say.

Nigel Farage arrives at the rally in Chester. Picture by Sh*t Chester

Another attendee, newly re-elected Labour councillor Matt Bryan, was also jumped on by bouncers – although he admits he was about to pelt the former UKIP man with eggs.

Sh*t Chester told this newspaper: “It took four security guards to drag us off the premises. I was told I was a left-wing agitator and ‘not on message’. It’s an outrage!

“I saw Matt Bryan being ejected and a security guard came over and asked if I was with him. I said no – I was just there as a neutral. But an hour later the security guard had been following me and looking over my shoulder at what I was writing.

Security ejecting a member of the public at the Brexit Party rally. Image by Sh*t Chester.

“He then said I was tweeting negative things and I would have to leave! They don’t want anyone who disagrees with or questions them. I was told I couldn’t return to pick my car up until 5pm.

“They were so aggressive. It’s appalling behaviour.”

Readily admitting he was far from a neutral observer, Cllr Bryan said he had “infiltrated” the conference by dressing in Farage-esque garb.

“I wore a Farage blazer, a Farage shirt, Farage chinos and Farage loafers,” he said. “That’s how I managed to get in and infiltrate the conference … on the way back from the shop with my eggs, milk and loaf of bread.

“I think they suspected something as the bouncers just jumped on me and stole my bag! They were incredibly hostile and heavy-handed.

“My only regret is not being able to plant one of those eggs on Farage.”

Labour councillor Matt Bryan.

The Standard has approached the Brexit Party’s press team for a comment on the way its security guards dealt with the rally but has not yet received a response.

Sh*t Chester had previously reported that there was a mix of people and ages at the rally.

Before his ejection, he tweeted: “In fairness I'll say there is a mix of ages here. Unpleasant security. And no policies of any description.

“They keep saying 'change politics for the good' .. but not saying how they'll do it. @brexitparty_uk has no policies.”

It is understood there were around 250 supporters who attended the £2.50-a-head event with several dozen protesters and a handful of impartial observers.

The Brexit Party rally at the Old Hall Country Club and Spa. Image by Sh*t Chester.

The Chester blogger’s tweets had attracted a number of responses including ‘Is that Farage at the zoo? Who let him out the cage?’ and ‘He dresses like a cartoon character’.

Farage attended the event with former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe in a bid to attract support for the North West’s Brexit Party candidates ahead of the European elections at the end of the month.

* THE owners of Old Hall Country Club & Spa said in a statement that they wished to “set the record straight”.

They felt they had to defend their decision to host the event after some “vitriolic” and negative feedback from some members and the general public.

They said: “It’s unbelievable to see just how divisive and factional this country has become - how sad that we can no longer listen to a different opinion without having to immediately feel the need to lambast and insult whomever we disagree with.”

The decision to host the event was partly commercial, with proceeds going to improve Old Hall, and partly because they were approached by Chester Business Club.

They also stressed their belief that by hosting the event they were “bringing the national debate that we all see played out daily on the news to a local and accessible level - giving real people on both sides of the discussion an opportunity to say what they think to some of the actual people involved”.

The owners said that the atmosphere of the event had been misrepresented by some.

“The event itself was good natured with a friendly local community atmosphere, a diverse range of people and ages in attendance, including some of our members with their teenage children who were eager to hear the arguments for themselves,” they said.

They also assured people there was “not the faintest whiff of racism or bigotry” among members of the Brexit Party panel on stage.

“Everybody connected to the event was extremely  pleasant to deal with - the site was left in immaculate condition and let us say that the reports regarding the heavy-handed security bullies could not be further from the truth - we actually went out of our way to thank them all and to comment on their smart appearance, their total professionalism and polite manner,” they said.

They said one Labour councillor was ejected as he had come with the intention of throwing eggs.

The owners added: “Our one hope is that over the coming years we can all learn to be a little more tolerant, more understanding….and a whole lot less angry.”