Protestor scales massive building crane to unfurl Black Lives Matter banner in east London
Protestor scales 100ft crane in east London to unfurl banner saying ‘dads lives matter’ and ‘plans to stay there for several days’
- Police were called to Hallsville Road in Canning Town at around 7.30am today
- Officers remain at the scene after a man climbed a crane next to a building site
- The protester has unfurled a Black Lives Matter atop the towering 100ft crane
A protestor has scaled a massive 100ft building crane in east London to unfurl a banner saying ‘dads’ lives matter just as much as mums” amid claims he plans to stay there for several days.
Footage taken from Canning Town shows a man clinging on to the towering crane, from around 6am this morning.
He initially unfurled a banner which read ‘Black Lives Matter’ at the building site in Hallsville Road – where more than 600 homes are being built.
Just after midday he removed the banner and replaced it with a new message, which read: ‘Black lives matter just as much as whites’.
‘Dads’ lives matter just as much as mums’ enough is enough’.
At around 2.30pm, he was filmed lying on concrete counterweights hanging from the end of the crane, before returning to a safer area.
Police were called to the scene at around 7.30am and officers remain at the scene, along with London Ambulance Service paramedics.
Fathers4Justice said it was not involved in the protest did offer its support for the demonstration.
Baffled onlookers are questioning how he managed to scale the structure, with one describing it as a ‘skyscraper crane’.
Another person filming the protest said he intended to stay atop the crane for ‘several days,’ and has carried fireworks up with him.
The protestor was seen clambering along the towering structure after arriving earlier today
A banner with the message ‘Black Lives Matter’ has been placed along the crane in Canning Town, east London, today
The crane is thought to be nearly 100ft tall and is there for building work as part of Hallsville Quarter housing development in Canning Town, Newham
After removing his original at around midday, the hooded and masked protester unfurled a new one, which read: ‘Black lives matter just as much as whites’. Dads’ lives matter just as much as mums’ enough is enough’
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O’Connor said: ‘We support all peaceful protests and have a long history of placing fathers in superhero costumes on cranes with banners, most notably in 2003 when Tower Bridge was closed for five days.
‘However, we can confirm this is not an official Fathers4Justice protest.
‘As a matter of good practice, we have offered our assistance to the Metropolitan Police if needed, so they facilitate a safe conclusion to the protest and provide any pastoral care needed.
‘Separated dads of every religion and ethnicity are denied equal parenting rights to see their children and they are also the most at risk suicide group according to the Samaritans.
‘In the last 12 months our casework load has increased by 40% dealing with enquiries from desperate dads trying to see their kids.’
Live footage from the scene shows the protestor wearing a grey jumper, gloves and a mask.
At some points he has sit on the edge of the crane, with his legs dangling over the edge.
It is not clear how he scaled the crane, but footage of him atop the structure was first shared at around 6.30am today.
Power has been turned off to the structure, while police have not attempted to climb it.
Keith Allen, from Canning Town, told The Evening Standard: ‘There were lots of police around and people watching from near the Morrisons below.
Police are at the scene, while onlookers below watch the hooded protestor atop the crane
Onlookers say the banner is ‘too small to read’ from below. Met Police confirmed it was called at around 7.30am today
The protestor was filmed walking along the crane before returning to the ‘towering cranes’ main area
Fathers 4 Justice has not claimed responsibility for the protest, but did offer its support today
‘I don’t know how he managed to get up there because it’s one of the big skyscraper cranes.
‘It was hard to see exactly what was going on because the banner he displayed was too small to read.’
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘We were made aware about 7.30am this morning about a protest at Hallsville Road in Canning Town, a man has scaled a crane at the location, officers are on scene.
‘No arrests, enquiries are ongoing.’
The crane has been installed as part of the Hallsville Quarter development in Canning Town, which is creating more than 600 homes as well as shops and office space.
