Man who climbed London’s Big Ben tower with Palestinian flag arrested
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A man holding a Palestinian flag is perched on the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben on March 8.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON - A man who scaled the lower sections of Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower at London’s Palace of Westminster early on March 8 has come down after 16 hours and was subsequently arrested, the British police said on March 9.
Pictures from the scene showed a cherry picker transporting him to waiting emergency crews on the ground.
He was waving a Palestinian flag and shouted “free Palestine”, according to British media.
“We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
The man spent the day perched barefoot on a ledge several metres up the landmark, even as emergency crews urged him to come down from the Elizabeth Tower in central London, more commonly known for its clock bell, Big Ben.
Negotiators had boarded a fire truck lift and used a megaphone to speak with the man, but footage on social media showed the figure in a hoodie and baseball cap saying: “I will come down on my own terms.”
In the footage, negotiators indicated concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there was “quite a lot of blood” and that his clothes were not warm enough as temperatures dropped after nightfall.
AFP journalists at the scene earlier said the man appeared to be bleeding from his foot.
Crowds gathered from behind a police cordon, with supporters chanting “Free Palestine” and “you are a hero”.
Passersby looking at a man with a Palestinian flag standing on the Big Ben in London, on March 8.
PHOTO: REUTERS
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police earlier said they were alerted to the incident at Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) at 0724 GMT (3:24pm, Singapore time).
Police had closed off the surrounding area, including Westminster Bridge, while the Houses of Parliament cancelled tours.
Westminster police later said all roads in the area had been reopened.
“Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today?“ Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty posted on X.
“On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protester was able to evade security so easily.” REUTERS, AFP
