Worried security officials insisted a "smoking den" was built on the rooftop of Michael Gove's Government department after he received chilling death threats.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities now takes cigarette breaks in the secure area after being subjected to horrific abuse in the street.
A source said the Cabinet member was told it wasn't safe for him to smoke outside after being targeted by anti-vaxxers threatening to "hang him".
It meant a hut had to be put up on the top of the Whitehall building as there was no other appropriate area.
Mr Gove, 55, was advised to take the protection measure by police and security officials.
It follows a string of incidents that raised concerns about his safety.
A Whitehall source said: "A secure area was provided on the strong advice of police and security officials after Gove was harassed by anti-vax protestors outside the department threatening to hang him and following the discovery that David Amess’s killer - the terrorist Ali Harbi Ali - had visited Gove’s home on several occasions armed with a knife."
In October 2021 footage emerged showing Mr Gove being swarmed by anti-vaxxers, with one managing to shove a camera in his face before being hauled away.
The angry mob shouted "arrest Michael Gove" in the terrifying encounter as the minister ventured into the street to get coffee.
Last year it emerged that terrorist Ali Harbi Abi - who is serving a whole life sentence for the murder of Tory MP Sir David Amess - had visited Mr Gove's home six times in 2021 to "scope" it out.
And the same year sinister graffiti was scrawled in Belfast containing his home address amid heightened tensions over Brexit.
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesman said: “It is a longstanding policy not to comment on the protective security arrangements for the Secretary of State or Ministers.”
