A pro-Palestine protester who scaled Big Ben waving a flag has finally been retrieved, bringing a 16-hour standoff to an end.
Videos from Westminster showed a cherry picker being deployed to reach the man, who had managed to climb up the tower and bring the tourist-laden area to a standstill.
While his rescuers were lowering him to the ground, the traffic disrupter waved a Palestinian flag while crowds cheered.
The Metropolitan Police has since confirmed that the individual was arrested after being caught.
Big Ben pro-Palestine protester
PA
The force said: "We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life."
Earlier in the day, the man had fuelled a mammoth emergency response in the heart of London after he scaled a part of the iconic infrastructures.
At about 7.24am, the activist had started live-streaming himself, taking off his shoes and said: "I’m not going anywhere."
He also can be heard repeating: "Free, free Palestine".
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Westminster Bridge was forced to shut while firefighters from the London Fire Brigade worked with police and ambulance during the day.
As officials attempted to negotiate with the adamant protester, he subsequently declared that he would only descend "on his own terms".
Officials who had managed to get to the activist’s height tried to persuade him to return to the ground, expressing worry about his bloodied, barefoot state, particularly as temperatures began to drop throughout the evening.
Nevertheless, the man claimed: “I'm safe. If you come closer, I'll climb higher.”
During the day, Westminster Bridge was forced to shut while firefighters from the London Fire Brigade worked with police and ambulance
PA
Groups of pro-Palestine supporters congregated on the street below, waving Palestinian flags and shouted: "We love you!"
Along with Westminster Bridge, Bridge Street and Westminster tube station had been closed while the incident remained ongoing.
Additionally, tourists were sure to be disappointed as tours of the Parliamentary Estate were paused.
Further across the capital, the Met had been deployed to block pro-Palestine groups from descending on a central London synagogue.
