Protesters try to storm British Parliament

LONDON: A group of protesters campaigning against changes to disability benefits today tried to storm UK's Parliament, when David Cameron was leading Prime Minister's Questions.

The group claimed the attempt to storm the House of Commons was spontaneous and not planned in advance.

A number of the protesters trying to gain access to the Commons chamber were in wheelchairs, BBC reported.

One protester said the Independent Living Fund, which is due to be closed, was "vital for the lives of disabled people" and the protesters were campaigning to keep it open.

The fund provides support for some 18,000 people and is worth 320 million pounds. Its closure has been challenged in the courts, but was ruled lawful by the High Court in December.

Scotland Yard officers were able to contain the incident and closed the doors to the chamber in Parliament where David Cameron was leading Prime Minister's Questions.

Prime Minister's Questions continued inside the chamber.

Security at the Palace of Westminster in central London, which houses the Parliament complex, has been considerably tightened since September 2004, the last time when five protesters were able to burst into the Commons chamber.

They were campaigning in favour of fox-hunting, which was being banned by Parliament.

Earlier in May 2004, a protester threw a flour bomb at then British Prime Minister Tony Blair as he was speaking in the Commons chamber.