Big Ben climber arrested after 16 hours
A man who scaled the Big Ben tower in protest on Saturday morning descended after 16 hours and was subsequently arrested by the Metropolitan Police, as announced on Sunday, according to Reuters.
During his protest, the man waved a Palestinian flag and chanted "Free Palestine," according to British media.
"We worked with other agencies, including the London Fire Brigade, and deployed specialist officers to resolve this incident as quickly as possible, while minimizing the risk to life," a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
To persuade the man to descend, emergency teams used a crane and negotiated with him for several hours. According to Sky News, the protester initially refused to descend, stating he would do so "on his own terms."
Police were alerted to the incident at 7:24 AM on Saturday. Consequently, emergency services closed Westminster Bridge, and tourist tours of Parliament were also canceled.
All roads were reopened following the man's arrest, the British police added.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
