Anti-vaccine protesters occupied the headquarters of ITV News and Channel 4 News on Monday afternoon, amid an ongoing series of actions aimed at media outlets.
Jon Snow, the Channel 4 News presenter, was chased into one of the buildings side entrances by conspiracy theorists shouting at him.
Livestream footage showed hundreds of protesters shouting scientifically unsupported claims about the Covid-19 vaccine programme and blaming media outlets for promoting so-called vaccine passports, which they view as incompatible with British values.
After marching from Kings Cross station to ITNs Grays Inn Road headquarters, protesters were met by two uniformed policemen guarding the buildings revolving doors. However, they were immediately let through an emergency exit by what appeared to be a supporter who was already inside the building.
The protesters were then stranded in the buildings reception, separated by a glass wall from ITN journalists stuck inside their offices, with both groups filming each other. Eventually, police reinforcements arrived to clear the building.
Although the majority of the British public has now had a Covid-19 vaccine, one of the highest uptake rates in the world, the persistent nature of anti-vaccine protests has caused particular concern for executives in the news industry.
They are struggling to work out how to protect their journalists from harassment both online and in real life, especially following an incident involving the BBC Newsnight political editor, Nick Watt, outside Downing Street.
There has been some confusion among anti-vaccine protesters regarding which media outlets they are targeting. Earlier this month a similar group gained access to the BBCs former headquarters at Television Centre in protest at BBC News, although the building is now used to make ITVs Loose Women. Similarly, several of the individuals livestreaming the occupation of ITNs building on Monday afternoon seemed to be operating under the erroneous belief that they had taken over the headquarters of the Daily Mail.
The protesters later headed to Googles central London offices, where they were again met by police officers.read more
Anti-vaccine protesters occupy ITV News and Channel 4 headquarters
