Police were called to a dispute at the Jobcentre Plus in Dundee after a row broke out between staff and employment activists.
Officers had to escort a man from the building during the incident at the Wellgate Centre.
Tony Cox and Andrew Kirk, of the Scottish Unemployed Workers’ Network, claimed they were assisting an unemployed man, who was facing benefit sanctions, when a row broke out between them and workers at the centre.
Mr Cox said: “We were quite within our rights assisting this man, who was concerned he was about to be sanctioned when we were asked by job centre staff to leave.
“We politely explained that we were legally entitled to accompany the man during his interview and that he had indicated that he wanted us there.”
However, Jobcentre staff asked Mr Kirk to leave and when he refused, police were called.
Mr Kirk, who is a partially-sighted advocacy worker with the SUWN, confirmed that he had attended the client’s interview with him and initially everything had gone smoothly.
He added: “However, I was then challenged by Jobcentre staff who asked who I was and why I was there.
“They tried to say that the man in question did not want me there and that I should leave.
“However, I was in no doubt that the man wanted me in with him.”
The client who had been visiting the Jobcentre, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed he had been happy for Mr Kirk to accompany him during the interview.
He said: “I was quite happy for him to be there.
“I need as much help as I can get when it comes to dealing with matters at the Jobcentre.
“I am facing being sanctioned.
“This is a very difficult situation to be in and it helps to have people who know what they are doing representing you on these occasions.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers attended at the Jobcentre, Wellgate Centre, Dundee at about 11.50am on Tuesday, to assist staff with a man who was refusing to leave the premises — the matter was resolved.”
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions, which runs the Jobcentre, said: “The claimant did not give permission to be represented at their interview, so the representative was asked to leave. The police were called to the job centre after he was asked to leave.
“Claimants are very welcome to bring a representative to speak on their behalf at a Jobcentre interview if their permission has been given.”