Roads around the Palace of Westminster were shut down on Saturday, March 8, 2025, as emergency services responded to a man scaling Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben, while waving a Palestinian flag. The barefoot protester, perched on a ledge several meters up the 96-meter structure, triggered a significant police and fire brigade operation that lasted into the afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police were alerted to the man climbing the tower. "Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion," a police spokesperson said, noting assistance from the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. Westminster Bridge and Bridge Street were closed, and at least nine emergency vehicles lined the area as crowds watched from behind a cordon. One exit of Westminster Tube station was also shut, though services continued.

Photos and videos circulating online showed the man, dressed in black, holding a Palestinian flag. Social media posts on X reported him shouting "Free, free Palestine" and livestreaming his protest on Instagram, where he declared, "I'm not going anywhere." Blood stains on the tower suggested he had injured his foot during the climb. Emergency workers, lifted by a fire brigade cherry picker, used a megaphone to negotiate with him. A woman was heard saying, "At some point you have to come down," referencing his "Free Palestine" message.

The London Fire Brigade deployed crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho, and Islington stations. Tours of the Houses of Parliament were canceled, with officials citing security concerns but declining further comment. No additional details on the man’s identity or motives were released as the incident stretched into its ninth hour.