A barefoot pro-Palestine protester is still on Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower eight hours later, as crowds descend on the city centre brought to a standstill.
The man, who climbed part of the 96-metre high structure whilst waving a Palestinian flag sparked a huge emergency response this morning.
The protester live-streamed whilst he removed his shoes as he smeared the much-loved historic British landmark with his blooded feet at around 7.24am.
In footage uploaded to Instagram, he could be heard shouting: ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ alongside chants: ‘Free, free Palestine.’
Westminster Bridge – a key central London route – has been closed as firefighters from four different stations, police and the ambulance service have been at the scene for four hours.
Droves of protesters waving Palestinians gathered at the edge of the cordoned Bridge Street shouting ‘We love you’ at the top of their lungs.
Elsewhere in London the Metropolitan Police blocked pro-Palestine protestors from gathering near a central London synagogue.
Parliament tours have also been brought to a screeching halt, with a Parliamentary spokesperson confirming viewings of the estate had been cancelled today.
A Pro-Palestine protester has climbed Big Ben barefoot as emergency services raced to the scene this morning.
Londoners watched in shock as the man scaled part of the 96-metre-high structure, whilst waving a Palestinian flag
A man who scaled the Elizabeth Tower has now been sitting on the ledge of the historic landmark smeared with blood for four hours
The protester pictured on the side of Big Ben today after scaling the historic structure
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’.
Video emerging online shows the man urging firefighters not to come and rescue him from the building, as he refuses to come down despite their efforts.
When responders tried to persuade him to come down, he shouts: ‘I’m going higher, if you come closer’.
‘At some point you will have to come down,’ a firefighter tells him in one clip: ‘How long do you think you are going to be there?’
Luke Whelan, who witnessed the incident on his way to work told MailOnline: ‘I was cycling to work when I noticed him climbing up Big Ben.
‘He looked like he was live streaming himself or on a video call or something. I assumed he was a free-runner influencer as he seemed very relaxed up there’.
The protester clutches onto a Palestinian flag as blood pours from his feet onto parts of the tower
Droves of protesters waving Palestinians gathered at the edge of the cordoned Bridge Street shouting ‘We love you’ at the top of their lungs
Protesters stood near the Houses of Parliament as they waved their Palestinian flags
A view of the street from the protester’s live-stream es as he continued to climb the historic building with his bloodied feet
Firefighters attempting to rescue the protester from the side of Elizabeth tower this morning
A man waves the Palestinian flag after climbing the 96-metre-high structure earlier this morning
Blood pouring from the protester’s injured feet could be seen, smeared on parts of the tower.
While Parliamentary tours, Westminster Bridge, and Bridge Street are closed, so too is Westminster tube station with passengers advised to use other exits.
The tube service itself has not been disrupted.
There is heavy traffic in the surrounding area due to road closures, and London bus routes 3, 11, 148, C10 and 159 are on diversion.
A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘At 07:24hrs on Saturday, 8 March 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.
‘Bridge Street, which is at the north end of Westminster Bridge, is closed to allow the emergency services to deal with the incident.’
At around 10am on Saturday, three emergency personnel were lifted several metres up on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform with one person using a megaphone to speak to the man on the ledge.
Photographs show the man sat on the ledge with the flag and a keffiyeh wrapped around the decorative stonework on the tower.
The man was still on the ledge when the platform was lowered at around 11.45am.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: ‘Firefighters are responding alongside the Metropolitan Police Service to reports of a person climbing part of the Palace of Westminster.
‘The Brigade was first called about the incident 0732, and firefighters from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations are at the scene.’
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 7.30am today (Saturday 8 March) to reports of an incident in New Palace Yard, SW1A.
‘We have sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team (HART).
Passers-by were left stunned as the man scaled the 96-metre high building whilst carrying a Palestinian flag
Westminster Bridge has been cordoned off as they attempt to retrieve the man from the side of the building
Police officers looking up at the man who has scaled the Elizabeth tower today
‘The incident is ongoing and we are working with our emergency services partners.’
In 2019, an Extinction Rebellion activist wearing a ‘Boris Johnson’ wig was arrested after climbing the scaffolding surrounding the Elizabeth Tower.
Tree surgeon Ben Atkinson, 43, began a daring free climb of the structure shortly before 4pm on October 18, 2019.
He was stopped and brought to the ground just before 7pm that same day.
He was later found guilty of trespassing and sentenced to 250 hours of unpaid work and fines totalling to over £800.
Big Ben was built 164 years ago with construction beginning in 1843 and finishing in 1859.
