More than 50 masked protesters gathered in Clacton just minutes before Nigel Farage declared by-election winner

The demonstration, which was orchestrated by an anonymous artist known as Mr Phantom, took place just 15 minutes from the by-election count at Clacton Leisure Centre.

Mr Farage, who received 22,239 votes and beat Count Binface by 12,784 ballots, did not attend the declaration after Essex Police told the Reform UK leader yesterday about an "organised campaign" to "disrupt the result".

Essex Police did not deny Mr Farage's claim and GB News understands officers were aware of the flash mob demonstration.

It is not known if the flash mob was the "organised campaign" which prompted the force to contact Mr Farage.

However, Essex Police reported no issues outside Clacton Town Hall this morning.

The Reform UK leader confirmed he was not going to attend the Clacton count while addressing supporters at a post-polling day party dubbed "Farage Fest".

In photographs seen by GB News, the black-clad group stood outside one of the seaside seat's polling stations wearing Union Jack face masks

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The demonstration, which was orchestrated by an anonymous artist known as Mr Phantom, took place just 15 minutes from the by-election count at Clacton Leisure Centre

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Mr Farage said: "I've stood in many elections, general elections, European elections, and now a second by-election.

"And, every time, I really enjoy going to the count. It's exciting; it's dramatic. You're on the stage; it's something to be at.

"I'm sad to say that after 33 years of being a candidate in active politics, I've been advised tonight, by Essex Police, that there is an organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result that will take place in a few hours' time."

He added: "I'm not scared of these people, far from it, but I'm damned if I'm going to stand on the stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement, which I tried to fight for, and you tried to fight for, be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not, sadly, attend the count."

A Reform UK spokesman later went further by claiming Essex Police directly advised Mr Farage not to attend the Clacton count.

However, GB News understands Essex Police did not tell Mr Farage, or any other candidate, not to attend the count.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We have a full and robust policing operation in place around the Clacton by-election, as we do with all significant elections in our county."

"There were no incidents or issues throughout yesterday and into the early hours of this morning," the force's spokesman added.

A police officer outside the count for the Clacton by-election at Clacton Leisure Centre in Essex

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Nigel Farage missed the by-election declaration in Clacton

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Police vehicles were parked outside Clacton Leisure Centre throughout the night and officers continued to patrol outside the building.

Meanwhile, a private security firm managed operations inside the venue.

Mr Phantom's antics in Clacton were the latest in a series of provocative works, including Blind Nationalism and Follow The Leader.

The anonymous artist, who does not describe himself as party political, claims he uses imagery that deliberately plays on themes of national identity, political tribalism and the tendency of people to follow political leaders as a group.

Mr Farage has been targeted in a series of incidents throughout his political career, including as early as 2013 when he was evacuated out of an Edinburgh pub by riot police.

He was also covered in milkshake while campaigning for the Brexit Party in Newcastle in 2019.

Mr Farage was doused in milkshake for a second time in June 2024 as he left a pub in Clacton-on-Sea.

A separate incident, which also took place during the general election campaign, saw a man hurl objects at Reform UK's battle bus in Barnsley.