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Man closes M1 in Leicestershire in apparent 'protest' Man closes M1 in Leicestershire in apparent 'protest'
(35 minutes later)
Thousands of motorists using the M1 have been disrupted by a man who camped on an information board gantry for more than 24 hours.Thousands of motorists using the M1 have been disrupted by a man who camped on an information board gantry for more than 24 hours.
Police said they did not know why he went up there, but photos show he wrote a message on the gantry in what appeared to be some kind of protest. The man wrote a message on the gantry in what appeared to be some kind of protest, after he climbed up at about midday on Sunday.
Negotiators from Leicestershire Police had tried to get the man down since he went up at midday on Sunday. He was arrested for causing a public nuisance when he eventually came down shortly after 16:00 BST on Monday.
They said he was "safely down" shortly after 16:00 BST on Monday. Leicestershire Police said negotiators talked him down.
The motorway was closed southbound between junctions 23a and 22 while police tried to get the man down. Part of the man's message alleged that someone "tried 2 kill me", and he also referred to "2 murder attempts".
Part of the man's message alleged that someone "tried 2 kill me", and he also refers to "2 murder attempts". The motorway was closed southbound between junctions 23a and 22 but it is now in the process of being reopened.
'Hundreds of thousands' affected
Before the man came down, ACC Phil Kay said: "We are doing everything we can to bring this situation to a safe conclusion as swiftly as possible but I am afraid at this stage the southbound carriageway must remain closed.Before the man came down, ACC Phil Kay said: "We are doing everything we can to bring this situation to a safe conclusion as swiftly as possible but I am afraid at this stage the southbound carriageway must remain closed.
"I appreciate that this remains an extremely frustrating situation for the many hundreds of thousands of motorists who have inevitably been caught up as a result of this road closure and its knock-on effects on all the other major routes in the midlands region and beyond.""I appreciate that this remains an extremely frustrating situation for the many hundreds of thousands of motorists who have inevitably been caught up as a result of this road closure and its knock-on effects on all the other major routes in the midlands region and beyond."
Diversions were in place since Sunday lunchtime, but police said these alternatives routes have inevitably became "highly congested" too. Diversions were in place since Sunday lunchtime, but police said these alternatives routes inevitably became "highly congested" too.