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BBC journalist Nick Watt has been surrounded by a hostile crowd following a large anti-lockdown demonstration in London. Mr Watt was chased down the street in Westminster after being confronted by an angry mob hurling abuse and screaming “traitor, traitor!” A heavy police presence could be seen standing outside the gates of Downing Street but the BBC Newsnight’s political editor had to rush towards officers standing by in a bid to escape the protestors.
Footage of the incident shows Mr Watt in a blue face mask and a BBC lanyard walking along a road in Whitehall before the situation turns ugly.
A man in a leather waistcoat approached and begin to scream “traitor” into the face of the senior BBC journalist.
Mr Watt attempts to keep his head down and continue on his way but is forced to turn back as the crowd become increasingly aggressive.
The BBC journalist is then pursued by the large crowd as he runs back down the street towards a line of police officers.
It comes as hundreds of people held a rally outside Downing Street in protest at the Government’s decision to delay the lifting of lockdown measures on June 21.
On Monday Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of restrictions would be pushed back for four weeks amid concern of the new virus variants in circulation.
The incident has seen politicians and Mr Watt’s media colleagues rally around the BBC editor.
BBC newsdesk duty editor Neil Henderson shared the video, adding: “A BBC Correspondent doing his job in Whitehall yesterday. Where does this end?”
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However, others have criticized the actions of the police such as Mail on Sunday commentator Dan Hodges.
Mr Hodges shared a longer clip from the incident on social media which appears to show officers standing idly by as protestors turn on Mr Watts.
The political commentator wrote: “This is even worse than I thought.
“At the beginning, the police literally just stand there.”
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