Anti-Vaccine Protesters Try to Storm Building BBC Left in 2013

They found their way to the broadcaster's current headquarters hours later
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 9, 2021 5:16 PM CDT

Anti-vaccine protesters angry about the BBC's coverage of the pandemic clashed with police officers as they attempted to storm a television building in west London Monday. But they had apparently failed to do their research—the broadcasters moved its news coverage and almost all other operations out of Television Centre in 2013, the Guardian reports. The building, which became BBC headquarters in 1960, is now mostly apartments, though broadcaster ITV uses the remaining studios for daytime shows including Good Morning Britain. The protesters chanted "Shame on you" as they tried to force their way into the building. Police say one officer was injured, but no arrests were made.

The talk show Loose Women was being filmed as protesters tried to get into the studios, ITV reports. "Not sure what protesters were hoping to achieve, but all they would’ve found was me, Jane, Nadia and Penny on Loose Women talking about the menopause," said co-host Charlene White. Hours later, a smaller group of protesters made it to the BBC's current headquarters, five miles away, but police say they dispersed from Broadcasting House without further incident. Deadline reports that BBC journalists have faced an increase in verbal and physical attacks from anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protesters in recent months. (More United Kingdom stories.)

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