​Nigel Farage has been fiercely ridiculed for expressing dismay neo-Nazi’s who engaged in violent clashes with anti-fascists in Charlottesville were making Nazi salutes.

Chaos rocked the streets of the Virginia city after neo-Nazis, skinheads, and members of the Ku Klux Klan assembled for a white nationalist rally carrying flaming torches, clutching assault rifles and wearing paramilitary clothing.

Tensions with hundreds of counter-protesters quickly descended into street clashes with rocks and pepper spray before things turned deadly. A 32-year-old woman was killed after a car was driven at speed into a group of anti-fascist protesters and two policemen died in a helicopter crash while trying to restore peace to the area.

The former Ukip leader has now sparked outrage and been widely mocked for weighing in on the largest gathering of white nationalists in decades.

Mr Farage, who has close ties with President Donald Trump, tweeted: “Cannot believe we're seeing Nazi salutes in 21st century America”.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Critics were quick to hound the politician and drew comparisons with him and the US President. They argued Mr Farage's relentless campaigning for the Brexit vote had fostered a similar although not synonymous climate of hate and xenophobia in the UK to that which President Trump has fanned the flames of with his own inflammatory, divisive rhetoric in the US.

“Yeah its not like anyone has been lying to idiots in an attempt to radicalise them into faux nationalism to promote bigoted agendas,” said comedy writer Technically Ron.

“You and Trump spread hate and fear, demonise minorities and claim false patriotism, then take no responsibility for your actions. There are consequences to your bigoted rhetoric Nige, act like a f***ing human being for a change and take a bloody look at yourself.”

Tom Coates responded to Farage’s apparent disbelief of the Nazi salutes by saying: “I can. You know why? Because I understand that nationalists that build their campaigns on fear of foreigners incite racial hatred. Because I know that when a politician plays to prejudice to further their agenda they give fuel to Nazis.”

In the hours since his comment about Nazi salutes, Mr Farage has applauded Mr Trump's speech about Charlottesville in which the president refused to explicitly condemn white supremacy. He has also promoted the editor-in-chief of Breitbart News London’s book about “no-go zones” and “how sharia law is coming to a neighbourhood near you” in which he has written the foreward.

This is by no means the first time Mr Farage has weighed in on terrorist attacks in there immediate aftermath. In March, he suggested support for multiculturalism was to blame for the Westminster attack and claimed the political support for multiculturalism had created a "fifth column" of terror supporters in Western societies.

Mr Farage argued this was the fault of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, claiming his government ordered “search parties” to track down immigrants from around the world to bring to the UK. He also failed to mention the fact many of the victims of the attack were in fact foreigners themselves.