A protester holding a Palestinian flag gestures from the side of the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known by the name of the clock's bell "Big Ben", at the Palace of Westminster in central London, on March 8, 2025. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)
London: UK police closed the area around Big Ben in London on Saturday after a man holding a Palestinian flag climbed up the tower housing the famous clock and bell.
The man had ascended several metres (feet) and was perched barefoot on a ledge of the historic structure, whose official name is Elizabeth Tower, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Crowds looked on from beyond a police cordon, while emergency vehicles were deployed in the area and Westminster Bridge was closed.
Police said they were first alerted "to a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament" shortly after 0700 GMT.
At around 1000 GMT an emergency team used a fire truck lift and a megaphone to try to speak with the man.
But he was still there several hours later.
"Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion," London's Metropolitan Police force told AFP.
"They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service."
