SOURCE: MSNBC
‘Batman’ held for scaling
Buckingham Palace wall
Fathers' rights protester spends
more than 5 hours perched on ledge
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:25 p.m. ET Sept. 13, 2004LONDON - Holy intruder! A protester dressed in a Batman costume scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace on Monday and perched for more than five hours on a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions.
The protester’s success in climbing the wall in front of the queen’s main residence prompted fresh questions about the much-criticized and recently overhauled royal security operation.
“It’s not good enough and we want to know how this happened,” Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
Two police officers in a cherry-picker crane removed the protester, Jason Hatch, from the ledge at about 7:15 p.m., 5½ hours after he climbed up. His Batman mask removed and a white helmet placed on his head, he waved and clapped as the crane lowered him to the ground.
Hatch, 33, from Gloucester, is a member of the Fathers 4 Justice group, which is campaigning for greater custody rights for divorced or separated fathers and has staged a number of prominent stunts to promote their cause.
Royal family not present
No member of the royal family was at the palace Monday. Queen Elizabeth II was at her Balmoral residence in Scotland.
Still, police were stung by the apparent ease with which Hatch climbed up to his perch. Asked if the breach was embarrassing for authorities, Stevens replied, “There’s no doubt it is. I’ve asked for a full report as soon as possible on my desk tomorrow morning. We’ve got to resolve the situation.”
Police tried to talk Hatch as he stood for hours above a banner bearing the words “Superdads of Fathers 4 Justice, Fighting for Your Right to See Your Kid.”
Fathers 4 Justice members...
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