World

Anti-vaccine protestors attempted to storm BBC offices, but reportedly entered wrong building

by on

More in World:

A group of anti-vaccine protestors attempted to storm London BBC offices on Monday, but did not expect the news network to move out of that building in 2012.

Protestors showed up at the Television Centre in White City, London and clashed with police in the process. A commercial subsidiary of BBC still operates on the site, making shows for broadcasters, including the BBC, Sky, and ITV. The Television Centre is mostly rented by ITV for filming daytime shows including “Good Morning Britain” and “This Morning,” The Guardian said. Another part of the complex has been converted into apartments and a private members’ club.

The protestors later moved to the BBC Broadcasting House, which police were waiting for them at. BBC reporter Samira Ahmed (@SamiraAhmedUK) tweeted, “Lots of police including 3 van loads of specialist unit officers were here well ahead of them.”

The group’s goal was to protest what they perceived as BBC News’s promotion of COVID-19 vaccines and the lack of coverage of their views against the lifesaving measure, shouting “shame on you” outside the building. They also protested against vaccine passports and vaccinations for children, reported radio station LBC.

In Britain alone, the virus has infected at least 6.1 million and killed more than 130,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data. “Is there a link between stupidity and anti-vax?” Former BBC host Andrew Neil asked rhetorically on Twitter (@afneil). “Opinions vary but evidence is growing …” Current infections, hospitalizations, and deaths around the world are largely among the unvaccinated.

“The protesters attempted to gain access to the building while we were live on air with @loosewomen — and we’ve only just left, because of safety,” tweeted Charlene White (@CharleneWhite), host of the daytime talk show “Loose Women,” which was on-air live at the time. “Not sure what protestors were hoping to achieve, but all they would’ve found was me, Jane, Nadia and Penny on @loosewomen talking about the menopause.” Alix Kroeger (@AlixKroeger), a digital journalist with the BBC, tweeted a picture of protestors outside in the rain, saying, “The anti-vaxxers have now found Broadcasting House, and the rain has found them.”

ARTICLE: JACOB ZUBY

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: INDEPENDENT

Leave a Reply