A barefoot man is having a stand off with police after he managed to scale Big Ben’s Elizabeth Tower holding a Palestine flag.
Video footage shows the man standing precariously on the ledge several metres high, who appears to have injured himself with blood splatters seen on the tower.
At least nine emergency service vehicles are at the scene on Westminster Bridge which is closed and negotiators are trying to get him down.
At one point he shouted at them: ‘I’m going higher, if you come closer’.
The Metropolitan Police has also extended the cordon that is in place as the stand off continues this afternoon.
An aerial ladder platform has been lifted up several metres high outside the tower towards the man.
An Instagram Live video shot by the man shows him walking along Westminster Bridge this morning and then breaking into the Houses of Parliament.
A pro-Palestine crowd is also at the scene chanting along with the man in support of him.
Tours of the Houses of Parliament have been cancelled today because of the disruption.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson 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.’
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.
There is no disruption to Tube services except one exit out of Westminster station which is closed.
The man has been recording live footage of himself from the tower and could be heard saying: ‘I’m not going anywhere’ and chanted ‘free, free Palestine’.
He’s also been heard saying: ‘We’ve seen time and time again that peaceful protesters are being brutally arrested.
‘I’ve brought the protest to the so-called hub of democracy in the UK.
‘I’m doing this out of love for humanity.’
During his speech, he said that he is doing this as part of a pro-Palestinian movement and has since stopped streaming.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action told Metro: ‘Palestine Action applaud the brave action taken by this activist.
‘We also appreciate him calling for the freedom of political prisoners, including Palestine Action’s ‘Filton18’.
‘The eighteen activists are remanded in prison under counter terrorism powers for allegedly costing Israel’s biggest weapons firm millions in damages.’
People have been posting about the news on social media, including Chris Middleton, who wrote on X: ‘Good morning from Westminster Bridge where just before 8am a barefoot man with a Palestine flag climbed up part of the Elizabeth Tower. The road is closed.’
Another user replied: ‘What an idiot.’
The Metropolitan Police has also blocked an upcoming pro-Palestine march from gathering near a synagogue in central London.
Protesters were planning to gather outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place today to target the BBC.
But the Met said it has now imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent the rally from gathering in the area.
This is because it risked causing ‘serious disruption’ to a nearby synagogue on a Saturday, the Jewish holy day, as congregants attend Shabbat services.
The Met said it recognised ‘the important rights of people to protest and we have no wish to limit those, unless to prevent serious disruption’.
It added: ‘Accordingly, we have identified an area reasonably close to Portland Place where the assembly can take place.’
The protest, which has been organised by Palestine Pulse, IJAN, XR for Palestine and others, has been advertised with a 1pm start time.
