Man Climbs Big Ben to Protest Crackdown on Pro-Palestine Demonstrators
London (Quds News Network)- A protester climbed Big Ben in London this morning, waving the Palestine flag. He called attention to the harsh treatment of pro-Palestine and anti-genocide demonstrators in the UK. Local media reported that he shouted, “Freedom for Palestine.”
The man reportedly said, “Peaceful protesters are being brutally arrested” and that he had brought the protest to the “so-called hub of democracy in the UK.”
The Metropolitan Police said they were alerted to the incident at 7:24 a.m. GMT. Emergency services were called to Westminster Palace, where the man stood on a ledge of Elizabeth Tower, holding the Palestine flag and wearing a keffiyeh.
Videos showed him waving the flag from several meters up the tower, as onlookers gathered behind police barriers. Some of the bystanders also wore Palestinian keffiyehs. Authorities closed a nearby street and deployed emergency responders.
An activist holding a Palestinian flag climbs London’s Big Ben, calling for the freedom of Palestine Action’s Filton18 political prisoners, who were arrested for protesting against Israeli genocide, while rescue teams attempt to bring him down. pic.twitter.com/T7kgR5CCdr
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 8, 2025
Three emergency workers climbed a fire ladder to speak with the protester. A police spokesperson stated that security personnel were working to resolve the situation safely, assisted by the fire brigade and ambulance service.
For months, London has seen mass demonstrations in support of Gaza. Protesters have repeatedly demanded freedom for Palestine while carrying Palestinian flags and signs condemning the genocide.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have imposed strict measures on pro-Palestine protests. Officers have blocked a pro Palestine demonstration against the BBC bias against the Palestinian people today. The Metropolitan Police imposed conditions under the Public Order Act banning protestors from gathering in the area under the pretext of fear of causing ‘serious disruption to a nearby synagogue’.
Previously, police imposed severe restrictions on protesters, forcing them into designated sections and preventing them from joining friends or family. Demonstrators have criticized these tactics as attempts to suppress their voices.
