A man waving a Palestinian flag has climbed part way up the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, which forms part of the British Parliament complex in central London.
Newsweek has contacted London's Metropolitan Police for comment via email.
Why It Matters
London has seen large pro-Palestinian demonstrations in response to the Israeli military operation in Gaza, which followed Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023. The militant group's attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people, with hundreds more taken to Gaza as hostages.
According to Gaza's health authority, which Hamas runs, more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the area amid an Israeli response that included waves of airstrikes and ground invasion.
Though a shaky ceasefire is in effect, which was negotiated to allow Israeli hostages to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, protesters continue to express concern over Gaza's fate.
What To Know
On Saturday morning, after a man waving a Palestinian flag climbed the Elizabeth Tower, emergency services were called to the scene.
Speaking to the BBC, the Metropolitan Police said its officers were called to the incident at 7:24 a.m. local time, adding, "Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion."
Footage from the scene, which was shared on social media, showed the man standing on a ledge some distance from the ground, with police officers having established a cordon below.
According to the BBC, the man said he was protesting against "police repression and state violence."
On X, formerly Twitter, political commentator Oli London posted a video that the climber apparently recorded, which showed the street below him cordoned off with police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
Around 10 a.m., several emergency personnel were lifted up by a fire brigade ladder platform to speak to the individual, whom they addressed using a megaphone. However, the individual remained in place.
As of 3:50 p.m., the man was still sitting part way up the tower, the Islington Gazette reported.
In response to the incident, police closed Westminster Bridge and one of the exists to the Westminster station along the London Underground, though other exits remain available.
Saturday morning also saw Trump Turnberry, one of U.S. President Donald Trump's two golf courses in Scotland, targeted by protesters, who sprayed it with red paint, wrote "Gaza is not 4 sale" on the grass and dug up several greens.
Palestine Action, a protest network in the U.K., said it was behind the protest, which it described as a "direct response to the U.S. administration's stated intent to ethnically cleanse Gaza."
What People Are Saying
User Bella Wallersteiner wrote on X: "Westminster is shut down due to idiotic pro-Palestine protestor who's climbed Big Ben. Huge police presence here. These protests should be banned."
A parliamentary spokesperson told the BBC: "Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however, we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations. As a result of this incident, tours of the Parliamentary Estate today have unfortunately had to be cancelled."
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Firefighters are responding alongside the Metropolitan police service to reports of a person scaling the Palace of Westminster."
What Happens Next
Emergency services will continue their attempts to persuade the man to leave the tower.
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 12:41 PM.