Police were called to the Yukon government administration building Tuesday after a man barged into the legislative assembly, demanded to see the premier and smashed a photograph in the lobby.

"Can you tell me where he is? Is he slacking off as usual?" the man was heard calling out inside the house as microphones picked up the exchange, which was replayed by local radio stations later that afternoon.

"Order, please. Order, please," responded Steve Nordick, the Yukon Party MLA for the Klondike, who as committee of the whole chair was preparing for the afternoon's budget debate.

But the belligerent man, described as tall and slim with long blondish-grey hair and wearing dark sunglasses, was in no mood for order.

"Where's the premier?" he again asked, raising his voice. "I have some tough questions for him."

Gary McRobb, the Liberal MLA for Kluane who witnessed the incident, said today the man sat quietly in the front row of the spectators' gallery before launching into his tirade.

"When proceedings started, he removed his sunglasses ...obviously, he was quite upset with how he was being treated by the Yukon Party government," suggested McRobb.

"He mentioned social assistance, called the premier a slacker and alleged (certain) practices by (Energy, Mines and Resources Minister) Brad Cathers."

But Nordick prevented further recording of the comments, according to McRobb.

"Steve Nordick had his finger on the mute button; that deadens all the mics in the assembly," he noted.

McRobb said the man left the gallery on his own accord.

Once outside the chambers, he was confronted by building security staff, who attempted to restrain him. Breaking loose, the man smashed a photograph of Premier Dennis Fentie before fleeing into the street.

Ryan Clark, a receptionist for the cabinet, was the first person to deal with the man.

"He came and approached me, asking for the schedule of the legislature ... he seemed frustrated," said Clark.

After the man disappeared into the house, then re-emerged, Clark said he was surprised at what happened next.

"He punched Premier Fentie's picture and ran off. Security was tailing him and the RCMP were called," Clark told the Star.

Police on mountain bikes - part of the RCMP's Street Crime Reduction Team - arrested a 62-year-old Whitehorse man at the intersection of Second Avenue and Elliott Street at approximately 2:15 p.m.

After being treated at Whitehorse General Hospital for injuries sustained, presumably during the destruction of Fentie's framed photograph, the man was ordered to appear in court July 8 and released.

RCMP Sgt. Mark Groves said the man has been charged with mischief causing damage under $5,000, "and there's the possibility of additional charges of causing a disturbance."

Police are not releasing the suspect's name.

The premier declined to comment on the fracas, the man who caused it or the damage to his portrait.

But cabinet spokesperson Roxanne Vallevand said the premier will not have to pose for another photo.

"We've got another copy of that photograph we can use for a replacement," she said.