Up to 200 anti-vaxxers storm ITN’s London HQ

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Hundreds of anti-vaxx protesters stormed the London headquarters of ITV News and Channel 4 News this afternoon, before then trying to invade a Google office.

Up to 200 demonstrators broke into the building’s lobby and demanded to speak to the broadcaster’s bosses as part of a protest against vaccine passports and jabs for children.

The scenes came just moments after crowds of angry protesters hurled abuse at veteran Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow, accusing him of not ‘speaking up for the children’, and called for political editor Robert Peston, as police officers tried to control the mob outside the studio. 

Newsreader Lucrezia Millarini was on air at the time and tweeted: ‘Police at our building as anti-vaxx protestors get into the foyer. Luckily today’s @itvnews was not disrupted.’

Shocking footage shows dozens of police officers forming a barrier against the activists, amid widespread shouting and desperate cries for the group to ‘calm down’.

Officers, many wearing face coverings, are seen pushing back members of the crowd as tensions clearly began to boil over.

ITN said in a statement that the abuse of journalists because of their reporting on coronavirus was a ‘worrying development, which the company said it had been ‘closely monitoring’.

Staff were advised to either remain in the building or stay away until the situation was dealt with just before 3.30pm, when protesters left the building. 

The group then made its way to the nearby Google building in Pancras Square, where an activist was filmed standing in front of a crowd with a megaphone, declaring: ‘They are not giving you the right information.’ 

Footage earlier showed police line up to block off the entrance to the building as one protester shouted: ‘They’re coming for our children.’ 

As veteran broadcaster Mr Snow made his way into the building, one protester was heard saying: ‘Do the right thing Jon. Come on you’re a man of many words I respect you sir.

‘Jon it’s a real shame you didn’t speak up for the children when you could have.’ 

One of the ringleaders appeared to be DJ Pat Wilson, who was also at the heart of a protest which saw activists try to storm a BBC studio in west London earlier this month.

Today’s protest appeared to start in King’s Cross at 12pm, before the group then made their way to the ITN headquarters. 

It comes as:

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The MP David Lammy was among those to condemn the latest scenes, tweeting: ‘This is horrendous. @jonsnowC4 is one of the UK’s finest broadcasters – but all journalists should be free to do their jobs without harassment, intimidation or abuse.’ 

The Metropolitan Police have said its officers are ‘responding to a demonstration at a private premises on Gray’s Inn Road’.  

‘Officers are on scene engaging with building security and removing those who have gained entry,’ the force said.

An ITN spokeswoman said: ‘The police are attending a breach of security at Gray’s Inn Road, ITN’s headquarters.

‘ITN staff including those working in ITV News, Channel 4 News and 5 News have been advised to either stay in the building or stay away while the situation is being dealt with.

‘News organisations have provided a vital source of information during the pandemic.

‘The abuse of journalists because of their reporting on coronavirus is a worrying development which ITN has been closely monitoring and actively ensuring staff are aware of precautions to avoid coming to any harm.

‘This action resulted in journalists being prevented from being able to go about their newsgathering activities, something that ITN strongly condemns.’ 

The shocking scenes comes just two weeks after anti-vax protesters attempted to storm a studio at the BBC Television Centre in west London. 

The protest, organised by anti-lockdown group Official Voice, started at Shepherds Bush Green before making the short journey to the BBC Studioworks site in White City.    

No arrests were made and an officer sustained a ‘minor’ facial injury during the demonstration, which is being investigated, the Metropolitan Police said.

One of the ringleaders appeared to be DJ Pat Wilson, who proudly posted a picture of himself on Instagram holding up his ‘demands’ inside the building.

These included a weekly live debate with two representatives aired on mainstream networks discussing all aspects of the virus, and a weekly list on air with updates from the Yellow Card reporting scheme – a website which allows people to record side effects they’ve experienced from different medicines.  

He said afterwards:  ‘We want to make a noise, the right noise. We will see what happens now.’ 

Later in a speech to the march he added: ‘A group of us lot set this up, but we’re not the leaders we don’t want to tell you lot where to go or what to do.’ 

Former Coronation Street actor Sean Ward was also at the protest and posted footage from the roadside.

In June, police began investigating the inaction of their officers after anti-lockdown protesters harassed and intimidated a senior BBC journalist in the streets of central London.

Newsnight political editor Nicholas Watt was forced to seek shelter behind a line of police near Downing Street, as large-scale protests against the Government’s extension to lockdown turned ugly. 

After reviewing footage of the incident, the Metropolitan Police said it was clear that the scenes unfolded on Whitehall where officers were present and the incident was under investigation.

It comes as a man in his fifties was taken to a police station in Hertfordshire to be questioned by detectives after being identified in video footage.

A second man has also been identified and is being actively sought by officers as detectives launched a hunt for the other anti-lockdown protesters involved.

Disturbing footage from the protest showed a baying mob surrounding the journalist as they shouted abuse and called him a ‘traitor’, a ‘liar’ and ‘scum’. 

‘My wife is 35, unvaccinated and in a coffin’: Heartbroken husband whose partner died from Covid after catching virus while pregnant buries his wife and baptises the daughter she never met on same day – as he urges others to get jab

The funeral of an unvaccinated carer who died with Covid after contracting the virus while heavily pregnant has taken place in the same church where she married her husband – while the baby girl to whom she gave birth but tragically never held was baptised during the same service.

Mother-of-four Samantha Willis, 35, was laid to rest during an emotional service at Derry’s St Columb’s Church after passing away in Altnagelvin Hospital, Northern Ireland on Friday, having fought the virus for 16 days. Her daughter Eviegrace was born just two weeks earlier. 

Samantha’s husband Josh Willis, who runs a firm supplying signed sports, TV, film and music memorabilia, has been urging people who have not received their Covid jab to get inoculated against the virus as he described losing the ‘love of his life’ in heartbreaking posts. 

The funeral and baptism took place in the same church where Samantha wed Josh two years earlier.  Father Sean O’Donnell, who led the service at St Columb’s Church this morning, said that this is the first time he has ever conducted a baptism at the same service as a funeral. 

He remarked it is rare but ‘speaks about death and life all interwoven’, adding: ‘It is sadness and joy all at the same time, but never brought together as close as this. And the joy of baptism of this new life doesn’t minimise death, but rather the sadness that brings us here all in the context of faith.’ 

Members of the Derry City Under-17 squad performed a guard of honour as her coffin was carried into the church. Among those to attend the funeral was the former priest and policing board member Denis Bradley. 

On Twitter, Josh had warned: ‘I spent hrs in ICU on Thur/Friday with my wife who passed away. It’s real, the numbers are real. Get your vaccine so you or your family don’t have to go through what I have had to. As I write this I am laying beside her, she is 35, unvaccinated and in a coffin. Let that sink in!’ 

He described Samantha as his ‘queen’, while family called her a ‘wonderful, loving and caring person’. 

Samantha is missed by Josh, her four children Shéa, Holly, Lilyanna and Eviegrace, her parents and extended family. A GoFundMe page set up to help Samantha’s family has already raised more than £4,100. Those who wish to make a donation can do so here.

In July, ‘concerned’ researchers at Oxford University found that 99 per cent of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid were unvaccinated. They said one in 10 pregnant women admitted to hospital with symptoms of the virus often required intensive care. 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said Covid vaccines do not contain ingredients known to be harmful to pregnant women or developing babies. 

In a post on the GoFundMe page, organiser Sara McCaul wrote: ‘Samantha developed Covid-19 while heavily pregnant. Tragically, after giving birth to her beautiful baby daughter she passed away two weeks later. 

‘She was only 35 years old and had no underlying health conditions. Family and friends have been left devastated by her sudden passing at what should be a joyous occasion to celebrate. Anyone who knew Samantha would agree she had a heart of gold. 

‘She was always looking out for other people and was much loved in her role as a carer. She leaves behind her husband Josh, son Shea and daughters Holly, Lilyanna, and little Evie-Grace. She will be sorely missed by her family and many friends. So many of us are feeling helpless at the moment and hopefully, this page will help Josh and the children in the tough times ahead.’

Josh wrote on Facebook last week: ‘Today has been the worst day of my life. I have lost the love of my life Samantha to Covid-19. Samantha had put up a strong fight for the last 16 days. 

‘Myself, her mother and two eldest children were by her side. She was in no pain and was comfortable when she slipped away.

‘Whilst in hospital she also had to deliver our newest addition to the family who she has never met properly or held in her arms. I will make sure that Evie Grace will know all about the mother she will never meet.

‘I will never let anyone forget you and I will remember all the special times and experiences we shared together. The children are now my main priority. 

‘All I want to do now is make Samantha proud. I’m sure she’s already looking down and proud of how we are coping.

‘We are also proud of her, she was a wonderful, loving and caring person and she has been our super hero the last few weeks. She is now our guardian angel and she will remain in our hearts and thoughts for ever more.

‘We love you loads and miss you. We wish we could only have helped you get home to live the rest of your life with us. I will never stop loving you and we will do our best to make you proud until we see you again. Sleep tight my Queen. Love you.’

Josh added: ‘Thanks to all the staff at Altnagelvin Hospital who met Samantha on her journey. You are all truly wonderful people and I will never forget what you have done for Samantha and our family.’   

Thousands of condolences and tributes were paid under Josh’s statement, with one saying: ‘This has made my heart stop for a second. Sending every single person love.’ 

Another said: ‘There are no words that can express the profound sadness of this.’ A third wrote: ‘So so sad, absolutely heartbreaking and devastating for all the family. A beautiful lady taken too soon, RIP. 

‘My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.’   

The number of pregnant women getting a Covid vaccination has risen by a fifth in recent weeks. It follows a concerted effort by health officials to reassure expectant mothers about the safety of getting a jab. 

A total of 62,311 women, who reported they were pregnant or could be pregnant at the time of receiving the vaccine, had come forward and received their first dose by the end of July, Public Health England said.

The number is up by 10,587 from July 18, when data released for the first time suggested only around one in 10 pregnant women might have had a first dose. PHE said that, of the latest total figure, 43,737 pregnant women had received their second dose. 

Separate research last month revealed the vast majority of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid are unvaccinated and there has been a drive to encourage more to get a jab, with England’s chief midwife writing to GPs and fellow midwives to spread the message.

Research by a team at St George’s, University of London, published this month, showed similar birth outcomes between those who have had a Covid vaccine and those who have not.

Experts said pregnant women should feel reassured by the paper, which concluded there were no statistically significant differences in the data, with no increase in stillbirths or premature births, no abnormalities with development, and no evidence of babies being smaller or bigger.

A study is continuing to determine the best gap between coronavirus vaccine doses for pregnant women.

Researchers are aiming to recruit more than 600 pregnant women for the trial, which will monitor the vaccine’s effectiveness and follow the development of children up to one year old.

In the UK, pregnant women are offered the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, as officials say there is more safety data on these jabs in pregnancy.