Pro-Palestine Big Ben climber found guilty

A pro-Palestine protester who caused "serious disruption" by climbing Big Ben barefoot and sitting on the landmark for 17 hours has been found guilty of causing a public nuisance.

Daniel Day triggered an emergency services response and caused road closures when he scaled the Elizabeth Tower in Westminster on 8 March last year, his trial at Southwark Crown Court heard.

The stunt by the unemployed 30-year-old cost taxpayers an estimated £67,000, jurors were told. Day, from Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, did not appear to react to the verdict. He will be sentenced on 27 July.

A handful of supporters sat in the public gallery, and others gathered in front of the court chanting "Free Palestine".

Day's trial heard how mattresses were put down at the base of the tower to try to protect him because he was in a "precarious position".

Transport for London lost an estimated £25,000 in bus fares as diversions were put in place and routes curtailed, jurors were told.

CCTV played in court showed Day, wearing a black coat and a baseball cap, scaling the building while holding a Palestinian flag.

In clips shown to jurors, Day said: "We're being violently attacked by police for peaceful protest. That's why I'm taking action at the so-called hub of democracy today."

The court heard that Day took his shoes off while scaling the building and his feet were bleeding on to the stone.

Claire Campbell of the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement: "I hope today's verdict shows that while peaceful protest is a fundamental right, this right does not extend to actions that break the law, endanger others and cause serious public disruption."

She added: "Day's actions caused prolonged and entirely avoidable disruption in Westminster, putting himself and others at significant risk of harm, which affected thousands of people, local businesses and the emergency services.

"By remaining on the tower for over 15 hours and refusing repeated requests from emergency services to come down safely, [it] meant they were unable to use these resources to attend to others in need."

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