Man, 29, charged after barefoot protestor climbed Big Ben and clung to it in 16-hour stand-off
A man has been charged after a protestor scaled Big Ben and clung to the London landmark for 16 hours in a stand off.
Daniel Day, 29, of Palmerston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex has been charged with causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site, the Metropolitan Police have said.
A major emergency response was sparked on Saturday after a man scaled part of the structure while waving a Palestine flag and sat on the 96-metre-high landmark for more than 16 hours.
Parliamentary tours were cancelled during the incident and roads around it were closed.
Footage showed rescuers using a cherry picker to reach the protestor, who had been perched on a stone ledge several metres up the tower.
He was arrested once he reached the ground and taken taken to St Thomas’ Hospital for treatment.
Mr Day has been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
Daniel Day, 29, has been charged after a protestor climbed and sat on Big Ben for more than 16 hours
Emergency services talk to the protester after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in London
The stand-off between the man and police lasted a massive 16 hours
The force said in a previous statement statement: ‘We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life.’
A group of militant pro-Palestine protestors ‘rallied’ outside a London police station yesterday afternoon in protest over the arrest.
The protesters chanted, ‘Let him go’, in reference to the campaigner.
A young woman wrapped in a Palestine flag told MailOnline: ‘I’m here because of Dan being arrested to protest the ongoing genocide and human rights violations taking place in Gaza.’
There were around 20 police officers at the scene with two stood outside the station and a few officers were dispersed in the area.
They were heard blaring the chant: ‘Free, free Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’
