UK police close area around Big Ben as man with Palestinian flag scales tower

UK police cordoned off the area around Big Ben in London on Saturday after a man climbed the tower housing the iconic clock and bell while holding a Palestinian flag.

According to an AFP journalist at the scene, the man had ascended several meters and was perched barefoot on a ledge of the historic structure, officially known as Elizabeth Tower. Crowds gathered beyond a police cordon as emergency vehicles were deployed, and Westminster Bridge was closed to traffic.

Police received their first alert about "a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament" shortly after 07:00 GMT. By around 10:00 GMT, an emergency team attempted to communicate with the man using a fire truck lift and a megaphone, but he remained on the tower for several hours afterward.

"Officers are on the scene working to resolve the incident safely," said London's Metropolitan Police force in a statement to AFP. "They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service."