Protesters waving Palestinian flags have stormed towards the Ministry of Defence building in London.
The mob were said to have spotted some Royal Navy officers walking into the building and charged forward in an attempt to swarm them.
Footage from the incident showed dozens of demonstrators, some wearing masks and others flying flags, careering towards the grand entrance of the MoD.
“They have seen a group of Royal Naval officers walking into the front of the Ministry of Defence there, and they've run at them, tried to swarm them,” GB News Home and Security editor Mark White said.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
A small number of police at the scene rushed forward to prevent their entry into the building.
He added: “The police are trying to take up positions at the front of the building there to push those protesters back and stop them getting up to the naval personnel as they then enter the building itself.
“They had not had very significant numbers to police this. They're playing a bit of catch-up.”
Video from sometime after the first charge showed that the MoD building’s protective blast doors had been raised.
Protestors attempted to storm the Ministry of Defence in London
|X: OBBSIE
Mark explained the group had begun their demonstration at The Strand, moved down onto the embankment, then across onto Whitehall.
“They've been blocking traffic, and there have been very few police officers actually to take control of the situation and to get them cordoned.”
“It's just an outrageous situation,” an appalled Martin Daubney added.
He despised: “To see protesters during an armed conflict where our own personnel have been deployed in the Middle East.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The demonstrators attempted to swarm Royal Navy officers entering the building
|X: OBBSIE
Analysing the incident, Mark said: “There's no doubt there is concern in official circles.
“In particular, about the potential for protests in the weeks ahead for fuel protests, but also in tandem with these anti-war protests like we're seeing here.
“That's why we had the very unusual step taken by the Home Office just last week, which was last month, which was to ban the planned Al-Quds march because of very real concerns the Metropolitan Police had about it descending into violence.
“Of course, here we're seeing again, I'm not saying there's violence, but certainly chaotic scenes,” the Home and Security editor said.
'The police did not have significant numbers. They're playing a bit of catch-up,' GB News's Mark White observed
|X: OBBSIE
Immediately reacting to the incident, Labour's Alex McIntyre stressed that “our armed forces deserve the utmost respect at the moment”.
While he cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the event, the Gloucester MP insisted “we have to make sure protests are safely policed”.
Mr McIntyre stressed to Mark and Martin that people “have a right to protest” but that the forces must always be respected.