Police are seeking a woman who was removed from a Reform UK conference in Birmingham after footage showed audience members pulling her hair during a protest. The incident occurred four times during Nigel Farage's keynote speech, which was delayed due to security concerns. According to police, no direct complaint has been received but they are asking the woman to come forward for further investigation. Protest group Climate Resistance claimed responsibility for the disruption and condemned the violence shown by Reform conference audience members.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
The force said it had not received a direct complaint but asked the woman to make contact so officers can carry out further investigations following videos of her removal from the conference hall being shared online.
asserted
officers → say → hall
Demonstrators were thrown out of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham four times during Mr Farage’s keynote speech.
asserted
Demonstrators → throw → speech
They interrupted the Reform leader’s address, which was delayed over security concerns.
asserted
which → interrupt → concerns
The Clacton MP laughed during the disruption and said: “We’ve got a screamer.
asserted
We → laugh → screamer
Addressing the conference hall, Mr Farage added, “that poor young girl, she looked like she was going to do herself an injury”, before adding, “boring, boring, boring”.
asserted
she → address → boring
A man in the audience was also seen hitting the protester with a walking stick.
asserted
man → see → stick
Mr Farage said on Saturday the criticism was “one-sided”.
asserted
criticism → say → Saturday
“We haven’t received a complaint but would ask the woman involved to come forward and contact us so we can carry out enquiries.
asserted
we → receive → enquiries
“Anyone with any information should contact us on 101 quoting log number 924 of 5 September 2026.”
asserted
Anyone → contact → September
Activist group Climate Resistance claimed responsibility for the protest.
asserted
Resistance → claim → protest
In a comment they said they were “horrified at the violence” from Reform conference audience members.
asserted
they → say → members
The group also said the protester is considering whether to come forward to police.
asserted
protester → say → police
Mr Farage told broadcasters on Saturday: “It’s all one way, isn’t it?
asserted
it → tell → Saturday
I can have milkshakes chucked in my face, be bashed over the head with placards and that’s all fine.
asserted
that → have → placards
That’s absolutely fine.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
“Yet, well, we have a big event that people have paid a lot of money to come to and we get people there trying to disrupt it and we remove them.
asserted
we → have → them
Suddenly we’re in the wrong.
asserted
we → ’re → wrong
He added: “This is just also one-sided.
asserted
This → add → ?
We always have them.
asserted
We → have → them
We always have them and we remove them quickly and expeditiously.”
asserted
we → have → them
Deputy Reform leader Richard Tice also had his address interrupted when a banner was unravelled on stage by Greenpeace.
asserted
banner → have → Greenpeace
Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf condemned members who pulled the hair of a heckler during Mr Farage’s speech.
asserted
who → condemn → speech
Asked about the footage, he told a conference fringe event: “On the question of whether I condemn people punching people, yes, I condemn people punching people.”
asserted
I → ask → people
He told the conference: “I did see an old chap, a pensioner somewhere with a walking stick.
asserted
I → tell → stick
“Look, I don’t condone any sort of that behaviour, but if anybody wants to have a quick whip round later, we are collecting for a new walking stick.”
asserted
we → look → stick
Former Conservative cabinet minister Nadine Dorries, who is now a Reform UK member, said protesters “are not really going to get gentle treatment”.
asserted
protesters → say → treatment
She told a fringe event: “Of course no-one should be violent, no-one should throw punches, but… no-one should come into this conference and try and disrupt it.”
asserted
one → tell → it
The end of the first main day of the Reform conference saw a series of protests disrupting speeches.
asserted
series → see → speeches
A banner appeared during Mr Tice’s speech which said: “Collect £5 million, burn the planet”.
asserted
which → appear → planet
The banner, which also depicted Mr Farage in a top hat and carrying a bag of money, remained visible for several minutes before being taken down.
asserted
which → depict → minutes
It is believed it had been scheduled to appear during Mr Farage’s speech, but an hour’s delay to the start of the day meant it only emerged later.
asserted
it → believe → day
During Mr Farage’s speech, two women stood up and held a banner reading “Reform works for billionaires”.
asserted
Reform → stand → billionaires
They were booed by audience members who shouted “out”.
asserted
who → boo → members
