Whitehall closed off as police try to coax down a naked man from statue

[jollyjacktar]

Ah the freaks do give me a laugh.  ;D  Photos and full story at link.

Whitehall closed off as police try to coax down a naked man straddling historic statueThe unidentified man was clothed when he climbed the statue at around 1pm

-The statue commemorates Prince George, the First Duke of Cambridge, who died in 1904, and stands in front of Horse Guards Parade

By Matt Blake
PUBLISHED: 13:31 GMT, 23 November 2012 | UPDATED: 14:16 GMT, 23 November 2012

A mystery man brought Whitehall to a standstill today after he climbed to the top of a historic 30-foot statue - and stripped naked.

Police were forced to close an entire section of the road - which runs between the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square in the heart of the capital - while specialist officers tried to coax the man down.

The spectacle began at around 1pm today, when the man appeared to clamber up the life size memorial to Prince George, the First Duke of Cambridge fully clothed before stripping off.

At one point he balanced acrobatically - with his arms out stretched - upon the Duke's feathered plume, before sitting on his head.

The man's motives for the extravagant display of public nudity remain unclear.  Scotland Yard said it was believed that the man might have a knife as officers shut down part of the road, near the heart of Westminster in central London.

Whitehall runs from the Houses of Parliament to Trafalgar Square and is where the Ministry of Defence is situated.
Police had cordoned off a section of around 100 metres of Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square.

Several police cars and ambulances were on the scene.  Crowds of onlookers had gathered at either end of the cordon. The naked man is believed to have been clothed when he climbed on to the statue.

He could be seen waving his arms, apparently speaking to emergency services on the ground, and did not seem to be holding anything.
A spokesman said: 'We are talking to the man and will try and bring the situation to a resolution a soon as we can.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2237402/Whitehall-closed-police-try-coax-naked-man-straddling-statue.html#ixzz2D3XQe2f9
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[dapaterson]

Now, if this were Vegas, I'd suspect Harry...

 

[Maxadia]

Funny we don't have spectacles like this at the end of November in Canada.

 

[Staff Weenie]

Though......it would certainly add some excitement to the day, watching the cops and MPs chase a naked lunatic around.  Kind of like when the Engineers at university chase the greased pig.

We could always call in animal control and have them take the guy down with a tranquilizer dart in the butt.

 

[cupper]

As if pigeons weren't bad enough. ;D

The horror.

 

[Robert0288]

Scotland Yard said it was believed that the man might have a knife

How does one 'believe' the nude man on top of a statue has a knife in his possession?  He either has it, or he doesn't.  I would think there are very limited places where you can hide a knife...

 

[The Bread Guy]

How does one 'believe' the nude man on top of a statue has a knife in his possession?  He either has it, or he doesn't.  I would think there are very limited places where you can hide a knife...

It could be a small, smooth-edged folding knife.

 

[cupper]

It could be a small, smooth-edged folding knife.

Would hate to be the cop that has to do the search. Cavity that is.

 

[GAP]

Would hate to be the cop that has to do the search. Cavity that is.

Just enlarge it with the small folding knife.....oops, inside voice...... :camo:

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

How does one 'believe' the nude man on top of a statue has a knife in his possession?  He either has it, or he doesn't.  I would think there are very limited places where you can hide a knife...

Not even close young 'un.

 

[armyvern]

It could be a small, smooth-edged folding knife.

It's a big assed sword if you look at the last photo in the linked article.  An onlooker took it when the looney first climbed up, dressed in all black. Certainly looks like a big sword and other photos reveal it isn't part of the statue. I figure either they couldn't see it laying on the ground with his clothing, or he is far more well-hung than the pics have him appear.  8)

 

[jollyjacktar]

An update, under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.  More photos at story link, at least for those of you who don't mind looking at naked Ukrainians.  :facepalm:
 

Ukrainian who climbed naked on Whitehall statue before biting it and breaking his teeth is jailed for 12 weeks

By Richard Hartley-parkinson
PUBLISHED: 17:01 GMT, 4 December 2012 | UPDATED: 17:03 GMT, 4 December 2012

A protester who climbed onto a statue of the Duke of Cambridge in London's Whitehall while completely naked has been jailed for 12 weeks.  Dan Motrescu, 29, got onto the figure and broke off its sword and tried to bite its head off but broke his teeth as a result.  He climbed onto the statue at midday on November 23 without any clothes on and stayed there for three hours despite the cold weather.

It is thought he was having some sort of ‘psychotic episode’ at the time which was brought on drugs and alcohol.  Motrescu admitted that could have been the case but said he does not remember anything about it.  He pleaded guilty to causing £5,000 worth of criminal damage to the English Heritage statue, using threatening words and behaviour and having a sharpened screwdriver in his possession when he was arrested.

Appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court he apologised for his behaviour and said: 'It’s not normal to get naked in public.  'I must have been having some extreme mind deviation from the intoxication. I’m sorry for what happened. I didn’t mean it and I didn’t want it.'

John Howey, defending, told the court his client had no recollection prior to the incident and could not remember the months or even years before it. 
'There is some suggestion it was caused by a drug-induced episode but he can’t remember taking anything that would had led to him behaving in the way that he did,' he said.

The court heard Motrescu tested positive for a class A drug at the police station but it was not revealed what it was.  Mr Howey said his client had the help of the Ukrainian Embassy after his mother went to them when she heard what had happened.  He asked for the shortest jail sentence possible as his client wanted to get back to his native country and receive mental health treatment.

Jailing Motrescu, District Judge Sandeep Kainth said he had caused ‘significant damage’ to the statue.  He added: 'You broke off the sword, waved it around then caused it to fall to the ground. You also threw down the adapted screwdriver which made contact with a bus shelter.  'The implication of what you did was substantial because a main road had to be closed causing disruption to many people.

'Many police officers were in attendance for some time as a consequence of your actions and there was clear concern not just for you but for other people in the immediate vicinity.  'You have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and I have read your psychiatric report which says you are fit to plead.  'It is more than likely the reason you cannot remember it is because you were intoxicated coupled with the intake of drugs. That in itself is a catalyst for disaster that may well be the reason you did what you did.'

Motrescu, of no fixed address, is an overstayer in this country and will be returned to the Ukraine after he has served his sentence.  Speaking afterwards a friend who would not give his name told how Motrescu had finished his studies and had a degree in tourism.  He said: 'He was absolutely fine before this, a normal guy. Nobody knows what happened.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242920/Ukrainian-climbed-naked-Whitehall-statue-biting-breaking-teeth-jailed-12-weeks.html#ixzz2E7Zht1zR
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