More than 100 angry Cape Bretoners tried to occupy the office of the MLA for Glace Bay on Friday.

They said they wanted Geoff MacLellan and the Liberal government to hear their protests over the state of health care on the island.

Cape Breton Regional Police were on hand to control the flow of protesters at MacLellan's door.

Becky Anthony, a retired paramedic, was at the scene.

Becky Anthony, a retired paramedic, gets emotional as she describes her son’s health-care problems to Glace Bay MLA Geoff MacLellan on Friday. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

Inside MacLellan's office, she got emotional as she spoke about fears for her son's health.

"He has a severe congenital heart defect, and has had multiple heart surgeries, two strokes, kidney failure, and a problem with his liver, and every single day I send him out the door to school, I am terrified that if something happens to him at school, he will not get emergency care in time, and that's not fair," Anthony said through tears.

Sydney-Whitney Pier MLA Derek Mombourquette was also on hand as people in the hall outside chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, Geoff MacLellan's got to go," and "Let us in."

Others remained outside the building on Commercial Street, waving flags and holding up signs, drawing plenty of honks from traffic.

One woman had her Cape Breton flag mounted upside down, which she said is an international symbol for distress.

Karen Gouthro mounted her Cape Breton flag upside down, saying it’s an international symbol for distress. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

Other protesters demanded MacLellan leave the Liberal caucus and cross the floor, saying the government is not listening to the concerns of Cape Bretoners.

They are opposed to the government's plan to close community hospitals in New Waterford and North Sydney.

Michael Nickerson, of the International Union of Operating Engineers which represents paramedics, tries to open the office door while a police officer struggles to keep it closed. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

The government says it plans to replace the facilities with long-term care homes and clinical services, while expanding emergency rooms at the Glace Bay hospital and the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney.

"The day you guys walked in here last June and announced the closures of the Northside General and the New Waterford Consolidated, you as the local MLA and Mr. Mombourquette as the MLA, you sat there," said Gordie MacDonald, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Breton Local.

"He sat there with his head down. You sat there wondering where you were at, and you both got up and followed your boss out of the room while there was hundreds of people wanting answers, and you done nothing since."

Cape Breton Regional Police kept MacLellan's door locked to control the flow of protesters Friday. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

MacLellan and Mombourquette let protesters in a handful at a time, which made the protesters angrier. They said they had a right to occupy an MLA's office.

MacLellan told people the government's plan to close two hospitals and expand two others will help attract doctors.

He said he has heard people's concerns over health care every day.

"What we announced in the summer in respect to the health-care facilities, I support that plan 100 per cent," MacLellan said.