Anti-vax mob storms wrong BBC studio
AN ANTI-VAX mob yesterday tried to storm the BBC – but ended up battling police outside a building that has not been used by the corporation for eight years.
Protesters shoved officers and threw missiles as they attempted to get into Studio-works at Television Centre in White City, West London.
Their plan was to ensure that their opposition to the vaccination of children was heard by the BBC.
But the studios they attacked – the corporation’s former HQ – are now used by ITV to make shows such as Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and Loose Women.
Eventually it dawned on a small group of protesters that they were in the wrong place and they moved on to Broadcasting House, the BBC’s central London HQ in Portland Place. There some of them grappled with police who had formed a line behind barriers in front of the entrance.
Dressed in black, the anti-vaxxers had started gathering at Shepherds Bush Green at around 1pm.
They then made the short walk to Studio-works where they appeared to surprise a small line of police by charging towards the doors. Some officers were flung back against the entrance and others had to duck as missiles were thrown at them.
Police reinforcements arrived moments later, and with their batons drawn they were able to prevent the mob from getting inside the building. The number of protesters increased and started chanting ‘shame on you, shame on you’.
One man gave a speech accusing the BBC of ‘not giving out the right information’ and claimed that officials are ‘coming for
our **** ing children’. Loose Woman presenter Charlene White said the protest took place while her show was live.
She tweeted: ‘Not sure what protesters were hoping to achieve, but all they would’ve found was me, [and panellists] Jane, Nadia and Penny talking about the menopause.’ The protest was organised by a group call Official Voice, which says it aims to ‘bring back our freedom and rights’. One of the ringleaders was a disc jockey called Pat Wilson, who said afterwards: ‘We want to make a noise, the right noise. We will see what happens now.’
Imran Ahmed, boss of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, accused social media bosses of failing to stop extremists using their platforms to organise such rallies. He said: ‘Just as the Capitol Hill riots were co-ordinated on mainstream platforms that are unwilling to enforce their own rules, the presence of this now violent extremist group threatens the safety of journalists, police and public.
Yesterday the Met said no arrests had been made. The protest comes after the BBC upgraded its security protocols following death threats towards its staff.