Fathers’ rights man takes his protest to the top

A PROTESTOR was towering over the Tower of London yesterday on top of a 64-metre crane.

The man, demonstrating for "fathers' rights", went up the machine at a building site near the Tower at 7.30am.

Work at the site was stopped and police, firefighters and the ambulance service were called in.

The protester unfurled a series of banners suggesting that British courts discriminate against fathers.

An onlooker said: "He's right near the Tower and all the tourists are having a good look peering up at him.

"Traffic is at a bit of a standstill as well because everyone is slowing down to try and see.

"The police have cordoned off the immediate area."

The protester, wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, sunglasses and a beanie hat, showed no imminent signs of coming down.

A police source said: "He seems to have made himself pretty comfortable up there but even seasoned builders take a risk at that height."

Glen Poole of Fathers for Justice said the protester had left a phone message with the pressure group before going up in the crane. He said the man was aggrieved at not being able to get access to his children.

Speaking near the crane, Mr Poole said: "It would appear he was granted a contact order last January to see his children but still hasn't been able to.

"He left a message with us and it seems he is a father who wants justice for himself and justice for all fathers. He supports what we are doing and is doing this in sympathy.

"Although we support his position we are going to do anything we can to bring this to a safe end."

Fathers for Justice has called acts of civil disobedience by its members this summer to further its cause.

"This is one guy going out and doing it himself and he's obviously put a lot of thought into it he's got a lot of banners explaining his position," said Mr Poole. "At the moment it looks like he's there to stay."