Anti-fascist protesters demonstrating against BNP leader Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time have broke into BBC Television Centre before being ejected by police.
About 30 people managed to get past police barriers during struggles with officers drafted in to protect the entrance to Television Centre in White City, west London.
About 50 officers were deployed to police the demonstration and the Met said there had been three arrests, two for violent disorder and a third who was wanted on a warrant.
Scores of protesters converged on Television Centre ahead of the filming of the programme, which is due to be screened on BBC1.
A police helicopter circled overhead as officers guarded the front entrance.
Speaking after entering the building, Mr Griffin said of the protesters: "I was rather expecting that.
"The Labour Party financed groups from all over the country bringing a mob down here today. It was always going to be a fairly big event."
Police claimed they had more than enough resources to deal with the crowd, which was expected to grow throughout the evening.
The filming of tonight's show was delayed by the protests.
Audience members taking part in the programme were escorted in through the front entrance by police officers after showing their passports.
Mr Griffin, 50, is due to share the platform with Justice Secretary Jack Straw, Tory peer Baroness Warsi, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne and writer Bonnie Greer.
As the debate approached, the chants outside Television Centre grew louder and louder with the crowd yelling: "We're black, white, Asian and Jew, BBC shame on you", and "we won't let Nick Griffin through".
The BBC said the disruption was dealt with promptly.
A spokesman for the corporation said: "A small number of people managed to get into Television Centre.
"However, they were identified and are being escorted from the building quickly."
Kady Pait, 19, a French student from Leeds, also made it into the building. He said: "It was just a peaceful protest and then the police started dragging us off. It was a peaceful protest from us and then the police dragged us to the floor."
The protesters, numbering about 500, were on an impromptu march down Wood Lane when the violence erupted.
Security guards had opened a gate to let a car into the front car park when about 30 protesters jumped over the barrier and ran towards the building.
As the demonstration continued, police with cameras started filming the protesters, many of whom waved placards denouncing the war in Iraq.
Gordon Brown said the decision to invite Mr Griffin, who was elected as an MEP earlier this year, on to the show was a matter for the BBC and he did not want to interfere with it.
But he described the party as "racist and bigoted," and urged anyone tempted to cast a protest vote against the mainstream parties not to turn to the BNP.
Speaking on Real Radio in Yorkshire before the recording of today's episode of Question Time, Mr Brown said: "If on Question Time, they are asked about their racist and bigoted views that are damaging to good community relations, it will be a good opportunity to expose what they are about.
"In a recession, people are tempted to vote against their traditional voting patterns like voting Labour, which we regret. But I want to persuade people that voting for the BNP is not the right thing to do."
BNP on BBC's Question Time: protesters breach police cordon
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