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| Man holding Palestinian flag comes down from Big Ben tower | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The man climbed Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, on Saturday morning | The man climbed Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, on Saturday morning |
| A man who climbed up Big Ben's Elizabeth Tower carrying a Palestinian flag has now come down, after more than 16 hours. | |
| The barefoot man made his way on to a ledge several metres up the tower at the Palace of Westminster on Saturday morning. | The barefoot man made his way on to a ledge several metres up the tower at the Palace of Westminster on Saturday morning. |
| Emergency crews went up in a crane to negotiate with him, and the intruder eventually came down after Big Ben struck midnight. | |
| Earlier he had been heard telling negotiators he would come down on his "own terms". | |
| In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday evening, he could be heard saying: "If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher." | |
| He had filmed his climb and said that he was protesting against "police repression and state violence". | |
| The Met Police says officers were called to the tower at 07:24 GMT. The incident led to the closure of Westminster Bridge and the cancellation of Parliament tours. | |
| Emergency services are at the Palace of Westminster where a man has climbed the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben | Emergency services are at the Palace of Westminster where a man has climbed the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben |
| A man with a Palestine flag speaks into a phone as he stands on the Elizabeth Tower | A man with a Palestine flag speaks into a phone as he stands on the Elizabeth Tower |
| At least nine emergency service vehicles lined Bridge Street in central London as crowds looked on from beyond a police cordon. | At least nine emergency service vehicles lined Bridge Street in central London as crowds looked on from beyond a police cordon. |
| Three emergency personnel were lifted several metres up on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform at around 10:00 GMT, with one person using a megaphone to speak to the man on the ledge. | Three emergency personnel were lifted several metres up on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform at around 10:00 GMT, with one person using a megaphone to speak to the man on the ledge. |
| Negotiations then continued throughout the day and into the night. | |
| Crews were called to the tower at 07:24 GMT on Saturday | Crews were called to the tower at 07:24 GMT on Saturday |
| The incident began when the man got into the grounds of Parliament, walked up some steps, quickly climbed onto a railing, and up the side of Elizabeth Tower. | The incident began when the man got into the grounds of Parliament, walked up some steps, quickly climbed onto a railing, and up the side of Elizabeth Tower. |
| At one point he took his shoes off to enable him to climb higher to a ledge. He injured his feet, and patches of blood could be seen on the stonework of the tower. | At one point he took his shoes off to enable him to climb higher to a ledge. He injured his feet, and patches of blood could be seen on the stonework of the tower. |
| The man was spotted within minutes by police on the ground, who asked if he was able to get down safely. | |
| Photographs throughout the day showed him sitting on the ledge with the flag and wrapped a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around the decorative stonework on the tower. | Photographs throughout the day showed him sitting on the ledge with the flag and wrapped a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around the decorative stonework on the tower. |
| Crowds gathered behind police cordons to watch the incident unfold on Elizabeth Tower | Crowds gathered behind police cordons to watch the incident unfold on Elizabeth Tower |
| "Shouts of "Free Palestine" and "You Are A Hero" could be heard from a small group of supporters who were pinned behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. | "Shouts of "Free Palestine" and "You Are A Hero" could be heard from a small group of supporters who were pinned behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. |
| They appeared to be showing support for the man who had scaled Elizabeth Tower. | They appeared to be showing support for the man who had scaled Elizabeth Tower. |
| Officers imposed a condition on protest activity near Parliament Square to prevent serious disruption, the Met said. | Officers imposed a condition on protest activity near Parliament Square to prevent serious disruption, the Met said. |
| It meant the pro-Palestinian protesters were ordered to move from Bridge Street to nearby Richmond Terrace. | It meant the pro-Palestinian protesters were ordered to move from Bridge Street to nearby Richmond Terrace. |
| Emergency service workers were lifted on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform to talk to the man | Emergency service workers were lifted on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform to talk to the man |
| Bridge Street, which is at the north end of Westminster Bridge, was earlier closed to allow the emergency services to deal with the incident, along with Westminster Bridge. | Bridge Street, which is at the north end of Westminster Bridge, was earlier closed to allow the emergency services to deal with the incident, along with Westminster Bridge. |
| It is understood one exit of Westminster Tube station was also closed, but there was no disruption to Tube services, and passengers could use other exits. | It is understood one exit of Westminster Tube station was also closed, but there was no disruption to Tube services, and passengers could use other exits. |
| Tours of the Parliamentary Estate were also cancelled as emergency services responded to the incident. | Tours of the Parliamentary Estate were also cancelled as emergency services responded to the incident. |
| The parliamentary spokesperson said: "Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however, we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations." | The parliamentary spokesperson said: "Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however, we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations." |
| Separately, dozens of protesters began a march near the Houses of Parliament after a planned rally near the BBC's headquarters was blocked by police. | Separately, dozens of protesters began a march near the Houses of Parliament after a planned rally near the BBC's headquarters was blocked by police. |
| Tourists looked on in one of the busiest parts of London on a sunny Saturday afternoon | Tourists looked on in one of the busiest parts of London on a sunny Saturday afternoon |
| A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations were responding to the incident alongside the police. | A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations were responding to the incident alongside the police. |
| The London Ambulance sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, and members of its hazardous area response team (HART) to the scene. | The London Ambulance sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, and members of its hazardous area response team (HART) to the scene. |
| Fire, ambulance and police crews were all deployed to the Palace of Westminster | Fire, ambulance and police crews were all deployed to the Palace of Westminster |
| Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk |