Photos show man climbing Big Ben with Palestine flag after injuring himself

A barefoot man is currently climbing Big Ben draped in a Palestine flag today (Saturday, March 8). He was seen getting up there shortly before 8am, and is still hanging on the monument.

The man appears to be barefoot, dressed in black and carrying a Palestinian flag. The incident comes just hours before the start of a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the BBC offices in Portland Place at 1pm.

LIVE: Barefoot man with Palestine flag climbs up Big Ben

Police have shut Westminster Bridge in both directions while they deal with it.

At around 10am, 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, reports PA.

A Met 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.”

Get the top stories from across London directly to your inbox. Sign up for MyLondon's The 12 HERE to get the biggest stories every day