A man has climbed scaffolding at the front of the BBC’s HQ in London and hit a controversial statue with a hammer in an apparent protest. There have been calls for Eric Gill’s Prospero and Ariel statue to be removed because the sculptor recorded s.e.xually abusing his daughters in his diaries.
It is the second time the 1930s work at Broadcasting House has been targeted. A protester took a hammer to it last year and damage from that incident is still being repaired.
The Metropolitan Police said it was called at 04:15 BST on Saturday to reports of a man who had climbed scaffolding and who was damaging a sculpture.
A spokesman added: “It has not been possible to safely detain the man given the circumstances of the incident, including the height. Specialist officers have been called to the scene. By 07:00 the man could be seen leaning against some scaffolding while wearing a Spiderman mask and shouting at a police officer.
A police cordon is in place and was extended during the course of the morning, with parts of Regent Street and the front of New Broadcasting House taped off.
By 11:30 BST on Saturday the man could be seen leaning back on some scaffolding while police remained inside the cordon. The entrance to the BBC was temporarily shut on 9 May while repairs were made to the sculpture.
Work was expected to be completed by 19 June, the BBC said at the time. Gill, the sculptor, died in 1940. The BBC said the latest incident was a matter for the police and emergency services.
Source: BBC
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