Anti-Reform protesters have targeted Nigel Farage during a visit to a classy restaurant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The Reform UK leader was inside the swanky Hibou Blanc restaurant when a group of around 20 protesters started shouting “shame on you”.

The bar, which is located off Newcastle’s Bigg Market, was forced to close its shutters to taper frustrations from the small group of anti-Reform protesters.

Mr Farage is understood to have left the venue at 4pm.

The Clacton MP visited Newcastle after visiting Gorton & Denton to campaign alongside Reform UK candidate Matthew Goodwin in the upcoming Gorton & Denton by-election.

However, Reform UK is also hoping to make gains in the North East of England at the 2026 Local Elections, with polls being held in Gateshead, Hartlepool, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, South Tyneside, Sunderland and North Tyneside.

Mr Farage already tasted victory in the North East of England last year, snatching Durham County Council from Labour in the 2025 Local Elections.

A recent MRP poll conducted by More in Common also found Reform UK would now pick up Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend and Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West.

Protesters who gathered outside the function in Newcastle yesterday brandished placards with slogans, including: “Far-right swine out of Tyne.”

During his time as Brexit Party leader in 2019, Mr Farage was also targeted by a lone milkshake attacker.

Paul Crowther, now 38, pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court after hurling a £5.25 milkshake over Mr Farage.

He was given 150 hours of unpaid work assessment and ordered to pay Mr Farage £350 compensation.

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However, the recent protest came just days after GB News revealed that Reform-supporting students had been targeted on university campuses.

Dylan Caddick, who studies at the University of Sussex, criticised “Marxist lecturers and students” on campus and declared his university a “left-wing echo chamber”.

He told The People’s Channel: “The reason I’ve set this society up is because it’s been so important.

“In my three years in uni so far, my lecturers are all Marxists, all these students, it’s just a complete left-wing echo chamber. It’s been dominated by one voice.

“And so I thought this whole time we have to actually create some sort of opposition where people can actually feel comfortable to raise their opinions, because at university it needs to encourage people to actually speak up on what they believe in. But that goes for both sides.”

Despite Mr Farage’s publicly-funded security detail being cut by 75 per cent last October, Reform UK donors have been covering the costs of the Clacton MP’s protection.

Mr Farage accused Sir Keir Starmer of inciting violence against Reform UK MPs and campaigners last year.

After the Prime Minister accused Mr Farage of racism, Sir Keir’s comments “will incite and encourage the radical Left” and claimed the Prime Minister had descended “into the gutter”.

However, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy recently claimed Mr Farage would lead a “fascist Government” and Labour MP Miatta Fahnbulleh suggested that the Reform UK’s comments about Turkish barbershops were racist.

Meanwhile, top Tories have also ramped up attacks against Mr Farage in recent weeks.

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake was forced to apologise after comparing Reform UK’s special edition football shirt to the Nazi Party’s golden party badge.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel also described Reform UK as “national socialists” during an appearance on GB News.

GB News has approached Reform UK for comment.

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