A man was arrested after climbing Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in central London on Saturday, staging a pro-Palestinian protest that lasted more than 16 hours.
Emergency services responded to reports of a protester scaling the historic tower at 07:24 GMT. with the man barefoot and holding a Palestinian flag. He climbed several meters up the structure and refused to come down.
Authorities, including specialist officers and the London Fire Brigade, worked throughout the day to negotiate with the protester, who insisted he would descend on his “own terms.” Emergency crews eventually used a cherry picker to bring him down at midnight, just as Big Ben struck the hour.
Once safely on the ground, Westminster Police arrested the man, emphasising the complexity of the operation.
“This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where the man was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual, and the wider public,” police said in a statement.
The protest led to significant disruptions such as Westminster Bridge temporarily closed, Bridge Street and one exit of Westminster Underground Station also shut down and Parliamentary tours were canceled as a security measure.
A small group of pro-Palestinian supporters stationed behind a police cordon at Victoria Embankment, chanted “Free Palestine” and “You are a hero” in support of the protester.
Three emergency personnel were lifted several meters up on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform around 10:00 GMT, attempting to negotiate with the man. However, he remained on the ledge, at times sitting with his flag and wrapping a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around the tower’s decorative stonework.
In a video posted on Instagram, the protester warned negotiators: “If you come towards me, you are putting me in danger, and I will climb higher.”
The Metropolitan Police imposed restrictions on protests in Parliament Square, citing concerns over serious disruptions. The demonstrators were moved to a nearby street.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the charges against the man.
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