This situation presents an immediate life-threatening emergency where delaying action guarantees death. The primary ethical principle at stake is the preservation of life, which takes precedence in emergency medical situations. While security protocols and consent procedures exist for good reasons, they are ultimately meant to protect patients, not endanger them. Dr. Nkrumah is present and represents medical authority, even if he cannot physically access the controls. The protesters' actions, however well-intentioned, are directly causing harm by preventing life-saving treatment. Proceeding with surgery honors the fundamental medical principle of beneficence and the duty to rescue when capable. The delay caused by negotiation or maintaining protocols would be fatal, making those options ethically untenable when a life can be saved.