Nigel Farage's rally in Walton, Essex, was disrupted by the activist group Led By Donkeys, who lowered a banner of Vladimir Putin with the caption 'I [heart] Nigel'. This came in response to Farage's controversial remarks blaming the West and NATO for provoking Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The audience chanted to 'rip it down' as two staff members unsuccessfully tried to remove the banner. Farage, who has faced bipartisan condemnation for his comments, reiterated that he does not support Putin's actions but admires his political acumen. The incident and Farage's remarks have drawn strong criticism from political leaders, including Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, who labeled his views as 'morally repugnant' and 'completely wrong'.