A barefoot man with a Palestinian flag climbed Big Ben: he was removed after 16 hours.

In London on March 8, 2025, a barefoot man climbed the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) of the Palace of Westminster with a Palestinian flag, staging a support campaign for Palestine. This was reported by 'Glavcom' citing Reuters.

The police received reports of the incident and, along with the fire service and medics, attempted to manage the situation. As a result, Westminster Bridge and nearby streets were closed, leading to significant traffic congestion in central London.

The man remained on the ledge of the tower for more than 16 hours, refusing to come down and threatening to climb higher if anyone tried to approach him. Only around midnight were they able to convince him to descend, after which he was detained by the police.

This incident raised serious security concerns, as the man managed to breach a 3.6-meter spiked fence and ascend the tower in a matter of seconds, prompting criticism of the police and parliamentary security services.

The man carried out this act as a protest in support of Palestine. He shouted slogans 'Freedom for Palestine' and unfurled the Palestinian flag on the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben). His motives have not yet been confirmed, but it is evident that this was a political demonstration against the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East.

It is expected that after interrogation, the police will provide more details about his identity and possible consequences for him. The man was removed at around midnight Greenwich Time, which is 2:00 AM Kyiv time.

Moreover, Israel approved the proposal of U.S. President's special envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the ceasefire with Hamas, the first phase of which ends on March 2.

According to the plan, the ceasefire will be extended during the periods of Ramadan, which will last until March 29, and Passover, which will conclude on April 19.