SWINDON Ukip candidate Martin Costello was spotted with right-wing protesters who charged into a London socialist bookshop and abused staff.

In a video, the Eldene resident can be seen among the dozen political activists wearing a Make Britain Great Again baseball cap and carrying a sign complaining about so-called ‘fake news’.

Once in the shop, the group repeatedly call a member of staff a paedophile and anti-Semitic.

The group filmed themselves preparing to walk into the Bloomsbury bookshop Bookmarks, before the confrontation with staff.

They chanted their support of Donald Trump and far-right activist Tommy Robinson and ripped up a sign in the shop’s window.

Staff claim that the group later caused further damage to the shop during their visit, wrecking displays and ripping up books and magazines.

Some protesters wore masks, but Mr Costello did not.

His face can clearly be seen before the group enters the shop, and a man wearing exactly the same clothes can be seen entering it and waving a sign inside.

Once inside, the protesters sang ‘We love Donald Trump’.

Shortly after uploading the video online, the MBGA group deleted it – but it has been re-uploaded by other YouTube users and viewed thousands of times.

Mr Costello is a member of the Make Great Britain Great Again group and co-hosts a podcast with the leader of the protest, Ukip member Luke Nash-Jones.

He also contested the South Swindon seat for Ukip in last year’s general election.

In a statement, Mr Costello said he was in London to attend a BBC Bias Rally.

He went on to say that he just happened to be casually browsing the shelves in the bookstore at the time of the incident and distanced himself from the protesters.

There is no suggestion he was involved in any illegality.

He said: “I was not involved in any book store “protest”.

“I’m legally entitled to visit any shop, and I left when the owner asked us to.

“The shop assistant’s closing of the shop door hindered departure.

“Reports of “masked attackers” and “ransacking” are utterly false.

“Nothing was damaged. No-one was arrested.

“I was in the bookshop because I am interested in researching the depth of Cultural Marxism in our society and I wanted to purchase a book to aid my research and understanding of this menace.

“I would be surprised if I even appeared in the video as I was in the shop extremely briefly.

“I was not present in the shop when the alleged ripping of the anti-Tommy Robinson sign took place or the alleged swearing at the shopkeeper so can’t make a comment.

“However, I am utterly appalled at such alleged behaviour, these people were not members of MBGA and I do not know them personally.

“I have no control over those who wish to conduct themselves this way.”

The incident at the bookshop is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Police were called at approximately 6.35pm on Saturday, August 4, to reports of a protest inside a shop on Bloomsbury Street.

“No other offences were disclosed at the time.

“Police received a second call a short time later stating that the group had left the premises after causing some damage inside the shop.

“There were no injuries. An appointment has been made for officers to speak with the complainant. No arrests have been made.”

The attack has been widely condemned by notable figures including singer and activist Billy Bragg and MPs David Lammy and Rupa Huq, who have expressed support for the bookshop.

On Saturday, MBGA protested against Facebook’s censoring of online conspiracy website Infowars. The bookshop incident occurred after the protest ended.