Man who scaled London’s Big Ben clock tower appears in court
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Daniel Day sitting high up on the Big Ben clock tower in London, Britain, in March.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – A man who climbed part way up the Big Ben clock tower at London’s Palace of Westminster early on March 8 and stayed there all day as part of a pro-Palestinian protest, appeared in court on March 10.
Clutching a Palestinian flag, Daniel Day, 29, climbed 25m up the building, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, at about 7.20am on March 8, remaining there for 16 hours until agreeing to come down, his lawyer and prosecutors told London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He was subsequently charged by the British police with climbing and remaining on the tower which created “a risk or caused serious harm to the public”, and also trespassing on a protected site.
Prosecutors said Day’s actions had led to serious disruption in that area of central London with roads closed and buses diverted, and the cancellation of parliamentary tours had cost £25,000 ($43,000).
Day’s lawyer said he would plead not guilty to the first charge, saying his action was designed to spread awareness regarding the situation in Gaza and Britain’s response to it.
The second charge of trespass requires the authorisation of the attorney-general, and so the case was adjourned until March 17 for a decision to be made.
Day, from a seaside town in eastern England, was remanded in custody, with his supporters clapping and shouting “hero” and “free Palestine” as he was led away.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons, which is also located in the Palace of Westminster, said he had asked for a review of the incident. REUTERS
