Negotiators appeal for man holding Palestinian flag to end Big Ben protest

Footage shared on social media shows a barefoot man standing on a ledge several metres above ground level on the Elizabeth Tower

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Negotiators are continuing to appeal to a man who is several metres up the clock tower of Big Ben to come down as darkness falls across central London.

Footage shared on social media shows a barefoot man standing on a ledge several metres above ground level on the Elizabeth Tower, holding a Palestinian flag.

In a video posted on Instagram, he tells negotiators he will come down “on his own terms” having scaled the building at around 7.20am.

Negotiators on an aerial ladder platform appear to raise concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there is “quite a lot of blood” and that his clothes are not warm enough as temperatures drop after sunset.

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.”

During the stand-off with police, he adds: “If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.”

The man climbed over a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security guards approaching him.

Emergency services talk to a man after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower

James Manning/PA Wire

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said on X, formerly Twitter, there needs to be an explanation about how the man got into the parliamentary estate.

He wrote: “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.”

Meanwhile, around 100 people gathered earlier for the pro-Palestine protest on the corner of Parliament Square appeared to show support for him.

A crowd held up a sign that read: “Labour Tories BBC you show Russia’s crimes but hide Israel’s … why?”

They shouted “free Palestine” and one appeared to be waiving at Big Ben.

Man with Palestine flag on Elizabeth Tower

James Manning/PA Wire

The activist on the landmark returned a wave and shouted something inaudible back.

The small group of pro-Palestine activist have been moved out of Parliament Square and all members of the public have been asked to leave.

Vehicles are still allowed to drive through but all pedestrian access has been blocked off by police.

The pro-Palestine group were asked to move to Richmond Terrace in Whitehall.

Some appeared upset with this decision. One demonstrator yelled “fascists” at officers.

At least nine emergency service vehicles lined Bridge Street in central London and crowds looked on from beyond the police cordon.

Pictures appear to show the man with blood coming from his foot.

No further details about any injuries have been revealed, as negotiators were seen speaking to the man.

There is heavy traffic congestion in the surrounding area due to the closures, and several London bus routes, including the 3, 11, 148, C10, and 159, have been placed on diversion.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman 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."

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.

Emergency services talk to a man after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower

James Manning/PA Wire

Tours at the Parliamentary Estate have been cancelled today due to the ongoing incident.

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.”

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: “Firefighters are responding alongside the Metropolitan Police Service to reports of a person scaling the Palace of Westminster.”

Crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations have been deployed, LFB added.

Members of London Ambulance Service’s hazardous area response team were at the scene wearing green helmets.

The specialist team is trained to provide life-saving medical care in complex and challenging environments.

In the afternoon, shouts of “Free Palestine” and “You are a hero” could be heard from a small group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment.

Uniformed officers continue to guard the cordon, which includes the Houses of Parliament and Parliament Square.

In 2019, an Extinction Rebellion activist wearing a blond wig was arrested after climbing the scaffolding surrounding the clock tower.

Tree surgeon Ben Atkinson climbed the scaffolding surrounding Big Ben dressed as Boris Johnson – complete with a blond wig, shirt, jacket and tie – and was up Elizabeth Tower for around three and a half hours on October 18 2019, before police managed to get him to come down.

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