Emergency services are present as a 69-year-old protester called Nick George’s has climbed to the very top of a huge crane at a Nine Elms building site.
Why ?
In a interview with Storyful the 69-year-old said he had been planning the stunt for two months.
Tensions in Palestine
Recent events further spurred him to act by the exchange of fire between Israel and Gaza in May.
Georges said,
“I was sent out to Palestine for three months as a humanitarian witness
“On a daily basis, I witnessed the horrors and the atrocities of the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian homeland.
He thought “ as a Christian, I can’t just let that go, I have to do something about it.”
The Long Haul
The activist has spent the night after unfurling a Palestinian flag as police try to talk him down.
He explains his reasons in a video on our tik tok .
Police Response
The Metropolitan Police spent Tuesday (June 15) attempting to speak to the man after he climbed about 100 metres to the top of the crane
This is located between Battersea Power Station and the Sky Pool at just before 4am.
On Wednesday morning the Met confirmed they were still trying to speak to the man, and road closures remained in place.
Sky High
The crane is based at One Nine Elms, a £1billion project which will build a 200 metre luxury skyscraper.
Making Contact
Police Officers have been trying to make contact with him have not been able to.
The Bridge
He is planning to continue the protest overlooking Vauxhall Bridge ‘for days’, according to a member of the public at the scene.
A pro-Palestinian activist tweeted that the protester was 69 years old ,
“no safety net’ in a ‘death defying daredevil act of solidarity for Palestine’.
A Met spokesman said:
“Our priority is the man’s safety and officers are attempting to speak to him. As yet, he has not engaged with any of the officers on the ground.”
Police remain at the scene and the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Servicehave been made aware of the ongoing incident.
Ongoing Protests
This is not the first time someone has climbed a London crane for Palestine this year .
May Protest
This picture shows a young man on a crane flying both a Palestinian and an Algerian flag back in May this year.
Crowds and Support
Thousands gathered yesterday (May 22) in London in solidarity with Palestinians asking an end to Gaza’s blockade and Israeli occupation.
Arconic Rooftop
And regular readers will know about the Arconic building protest in Birmingham for the last two days.
This is a repetitive series of activism that doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
What is next to be done by activists to Palestine awareness ?
Thank you for reading.
