Anti-vaccine protesters stormed the headquarters of ITV News and Channel 4 News in London on Monday afternoon, the latest in a series of media outlets.
Jon Snow, a Channel 4 news reporter, was chased into one of the doors next to the building by conspirators shouting at him.
Livestream footage has seen hundreds of protesters shout out unsubstantiated claims about the Covid-19 vaccine program and accuse the media of promoting so-called vaccine passports, which they consider to be inconsistent with British standards.
After marching from King’s Cross station to ITN headquarters on Grey’s Inn Road, protesters were met by two uniformed police officers guarding the surrounding doors of the building. However, they were immediately released on an emergency basis, apparently by a supporter who was already inside the building.
The protesters were in a state of shock at the reception of the building, separated by a glass wall of ITN journalists stuck inside their offices, with both parties recording each other. Eventually, the police arrived to clear the building.
Although the majority of British people now have the Covid-19 vaccine, and the UK has one of the highest rates in the world, the persistent nature of the anti-vaccine protests has caused great concern to management in the media industry.
They are struggling to figure out how to protect their journalists from online and face harassment, especially following an incident involving BBC Newsnight political editor Nick Watt, outside Downing Street.
There has been confusion among protesters fighting over vaccines over which issues they are targeting. Earlier this month the group gained access to the former BBC headquarters at the Television Center by protesting on BBC News, although the building is now being used to make ITV’s Loose Women. Similarly, several people who were focused on renting the ITN building on Monday afternoon appeared to be working under the mistaken belief that they were taking over the Daily Mail headquarters.
The protesters later marched on Google's offices in central London, where they were again met by police.