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The two camps in the EU referendum battle met today in a bizarre clash on the Thames on board a propaganda flotilla.

Sir Bob Geldof boarded a boat on the Thames to oppose Nigel Farage's pro-Brexit flotilla, which was making its way up the Thames towards parliament.

The rival sides clashed over the impact leaving the EU would have on the British fishing industry.

The flotilla, of up to 35 boats, had been organised by Scottish skippers as part of the Fishing for Leave campaign.

About 50 to 60 boats had originally been expected to take part in the protest, passing the House of Commons while David Cameron was answering Prime Minister's Questions.

The Ukip-backed stunt meant Tower Bridge had to be opened for 20 minutes, causing delays for motorists.

Meanwhile the Brexit boats were forced to pass through "IN" banners draped across the bridge.

Fishing for Leave flotilla 12 show all Fishing for Leave flotilla 1/12 Boats from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group and boats from the 'In' campaign join a flotilla along the Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images 2/12 A boat from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group sprays a boat from the 'In' campaign with water during a flotilla along the Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images 3/12 Kate Hoey and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, show their support for the 'Leave' campaign for the upcoming EU Referendum aboard a boat on the River Thames Jeff Spicer/Getty Image 4/12 A boat carrying supporters for the Remain in the EU campaign including Sir Bob Geldoff shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the river Thames Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images 5/12 A pro-Remain inflatable dinghy sails in front of a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as it sails under Tower Bridge on its way up the river Thames in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 6/12 Bob Geldof (centre) on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration, as a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" makes its way along the River Thames John Stillwell/PA 7/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 8/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 9/12 A pro-Remain inflatable dinghy sails in front of a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as it sails up the river Thames Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 10/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 11/12 Bob Geldof (right) on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration, as a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" makes its way along the River Thames John Stillwell/PA 12/12 A police boat chases pro-Remain campaingers in inflatable dinghies as they try to disrupt a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as they sail up the river Thames Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 1/12 Boats from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group and boats from the 'In' campaign join a flotilla along the Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images 2/12 A boat from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group sprays a boat from the 'In' campaign with water during a flotilla along the Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images 3/12 Kate Hoey and Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, show their support for the 'Leave' campaign for the upcoming EU Referendum aboard a boat on the River Thames Jeff Spicer/Getty Image 4/12 A boat carrying supporters for the Remain in the EU campaign including Sir Bob Geldoff shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the river Thames Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images 5/12 A pro-Remain inflatable dinghy sails in front of a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as it sails under Tower Bridge on its way up the river Thames in London Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 6/12 Bob Geldof (centre) on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration, as a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" makes its way along the River Thames John Stillwell/PA 7/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 8/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 9/12 A pro-Remain inflatable dinghy sails in front of a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as it sails up the river Thames Stefan Wermuth/Reuters 10/12 UKIP leader and Fisheries Minister George Eustice join Fishing for Leave flotilla of fishing trawlers travelling up the Thames to central London to campaign for the UK to leave the EU Lucy Young 11/12 Bob Geldof (right) on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration, as a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" makes its way along the River Thames John Stillwell/PA 12/12 A police boat chases pro-Remain campaingers in inflatable dinghies as they try to disrupt a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union as they sail up the river Thames Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Although there was a larger contingent of Brexit boats, Sir Bob Geldof had armed himself with a huge sound system to counter the flotilla.

The Boomtown rats star blasted out songs including Chicago's "If you leave me now" and Dobie Gray's "In With The In Crowd."​

Addressing Mr Farage over a PA system on his vessel, the Sarpedon, Geldof said: "You are no fisherman's friend."

He said that while Mr Farage was on the European Parliament fisheries committee he attended just one out of 43 meetings.

"You are a fraud, Nigel. Go back down the river because you are up one without a canoe or a paddle.

"Stop lying. This election is too important."

Geldof was joined on the boat by Rachel Johnson, a prominent Remain campaigner and sister of former London mayor Boris Johnson - who is leading the Out camp.

The singer's lone Remain boat was later joined by several rubber smaller vessels flying the "IN" flag.

As the two camps met, the Leave boats retaliated to Geldof's musical campaign by firing water from a hose at the IN vessel.

Both rival sets of boats were decked out in colourful flags and banners in an attempt to galvanise support in the closing days of the EU referendum campaign.

Although the protest and counter-protest clashed as the larger flotilla passed by Parliament there were no reports of actual violence beyond the water fighting.

Speaking to reporters accompanying him on the Thames, Mr Farage branded the Geldof protest "just disgusting".

He said: "These are communities that have been devastated. These are communities that no-one has listened to for years.

"They are here today, they have taken - some of them - several days out of their working week to come and make their protest, to say Look, we want to take back control of our seas, we want to get jobs back in this industry'.

"To see multi-millionaires frankly mocking them is a pretty shameful sight."

Mr Farage said the protest was taking place eight days ahead of the June 23 referendum because EU membership had "destroyed our industry".

Geldof said in a statement: "The In Crowd are here to say to Farage's fishy flotilla: 'Don't sink Britain'.

"Look at the facts: Farage is no fisherman's friend. Farage had the chance to help fisherman in the EU, but only attended one out of 43 fisheries committee meetings.

"The UK gets the second biggest quota out of member states and has the biggest profit of any EU member state. Leaving Europe would be disastrous for our country, our economy, our public services and our fishing industry."

He was backed by Greenpeace UK's executive director John Sauven, who said: "When Nigel Farage had a chance to stand up for UK fishermen in Brussels, he bunked off. His no-show voting record proves he's no fisherman's friend but a cynical opportunist exploiting the harsh predicament of many fishermen for political gain.

"What's threatening the livelihoods of thousands of sustainable, family-run businesses is the grossly unfair division of fish quota overseen by successive UK governments. The root of the problem lies in London, not Brussels.

"Quitting the EU will only condemn the industry to years of wrangling over new fisheries agreements, with no guarantee of a better deal for fishers or stronger protections for our seas."

City bosses had expressed concerned that the iconic London bridge was being used for such a “politically charged event”, but the Port of London Authority had given permission for 12 boats from the flotilla to continue to Westminster.

The fleet arrived outside Parliament at 12.30pm, ahead of the final Prime Minister’s Questions before votes are cast next Thursday.

The Brexit boats had departed from off Ramsgate at 3am and off Southend at 6am, passing through Gravesend en route to Tower Bridge.

A City of London Corporation source said there were concerns about the impact the event would cause on traffic in the Square Mile, Tower Hamlets and Southwark.

“We have a legal obligation to open the bridge for larger vessels," they said.

“However there is a high degree of concern at the large amount of traffic disruption this will cause and the use of Tower Bridge as part of such a politically charged event.”

A Ukip spokesman for Mr Farage said: “Of course it’s a political event — there’s a referendum on June 23 that matters passionately to millions of people across these islands.”