City of Westminster (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Negotiators engage in tense standoff with man who scaled Big Ben’s clock tower in Westminster, urging him to descend as night falls.
Emergency personnel and negotiators have spoken to the man, who climbed the tower at around 7.20 am on Saturday and is carrying a Palestine flag from a ledge, multiple times, but as of 6.45 pm, he has still refused to descend.
He promises to come down “on his own terms” to negotiators in an Instagram video.
As temperatures drop after dusk, negotiators on an overhead ladder platform in the video seem to express concern about an injury to his foot, stating that there is “quite a lot of blood” and that his clothing is not warm enough.
But the man insists he is safe and says:
“I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe.
If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.”
Videos of the man scaling a barrier around the Houses of Parliament without any security personnel approaching him were shared on social media early on Saturday.
Ben Obese-Jecty, a Conservative MP, stated on X that the man’s entry into the parliamentary estate must be explained.
He said:
“Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today?
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.”
A parliamentary spokesperson said:
“We are aware of an incident on the parliamentary estate this morning, which is being handled by the Metropolitan Police, assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.
Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations.
As a result of this incident, tours of the parliamentary estate today have unfortunately had to be cancelled.”
Crowds that had previously gathered at the borders of the cordons have dispersed, although Westminster Bridge and Bridge Street are still closed.
Bus services 3, 11, 148, C10, and 159 in London are still being diverted.
On Saturday morning, a Met Police spokesperson said:
“At 7.24am on Saturday March 8 officers were alerted to a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament.
Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.”
Wearing green helmets, members of the London Ambulance Service‘s hazardous area response team were there at the site.
The specialized team is prepared to deliver life-saving medical treatment in difficult and complicated situations.
A tiny group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment shouted “Free Palestine” and “You are a hero” in the afternoon.
The Houses of Parliament and Parliament Square are part of the cordon, which is still guarded by uniformed officers.
A blond-wigged Extinction Rebellion activist was arrested in 2019 after scaling the scaffolding around the clock tower.
On October 18, 2019, tree surgeon Ben Atkinson, wearing a blond wig, shirt, jacket, and tie, ascended the scaffolding around Big Ben in the persona of Boris Johnson. He remained up Elizabeth Tower for around three and a half hours before authorities were able to force him to descend.
What measures are being taken to ensure the man’s safety?
On-site, skilled negotiators are actively interacting with the person to persuade him to down safely. To communicate and gauge his mental health, they are utilizing a megaphone.
The London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service, and Metropolitan Police are all participating in a coordinated response. If the situation worsens or if the person needs emergency medical attention, these teams are ready to act fast.
An aerial ladder platform has been set up by firefighters to offer a safe way to reach the climber in case it becomes required. Responders can reach him without endangering themselves due to this apparatus, which also permits a possible rescue operation.