Palace Security Threatened by Batman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3653986.stm

Last Updated: Tuesday, 14 September, 2004, 10:36 GMT 11:36 UK

Urgent review over Palace protest


The protesters don't only put themselves at risk, said Mr Blunkett
Police and Home Office officials have begun an urgent security review after a fathers' rights protester dressed as Batman scaled Buckingham Palace.
The breach of royal security sparked a row in the Commons after Home Secretary David Blunkett defended police.

He argued the Met had "acted correctly" in assessing the threat posed by Fathers 4 Justice activist Jason Hatch.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said his message to police would be: "Get your act together."



Mr Hatch, 33, from Gloucestershire, was removed from a ledge next to the Buckingham Palace balcony after a five-hour protest.


PREVIOUS F4J STUNTS
Sept 2004: Protester David Chick, who is supported by F4J, scaled the London Eye
July 2004: F4J members disrupted a service and held a rooftop protest at York Minster
May 2004: Condoms full of purple flour were thrown at Tony Blair in the Commons
February 2004: Activists climbed bridges and gantries in Bristol, London and Newcastle
January 2004: One protester spent six nights on a gantry over Tamar Bridge, Plymouth
November 2003: 'Spiderman' sat on a 100ft crane near Tower Bridge for six days
May 2003: F4J began to grab headlines when masked men scaled a Plymouth family court


Why 'Dad's Army' is fighting


Scotland Yard said he and fellow protester Dave Pyke, 48 - who was dressed as Batman's sidekick Robin - are still being held at a central London police station.


Mr Pyke stopped climbing the ladder after armed police threatened him.


On Tuesday three police officers were seen standing at the spot where the ladder was used.


Buckingham Palace said the incident had prevented one group of disabled visitors from getting into the palace because they couldn't park, but that access was now back to normal.

Opposition MPs criticised the Home Office for failing to prevent the latest in a series of breaches of royal security.

Mr Davis said he would have expected Mr Blunkett to be more "contrite" about the incident.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is a bunch of amateur protesters. What on earth would we be seeing if this had been a serious terrorist attack?"


'Alienate'


He said he would consider putting concrete barriers around Buckingham Palace, against the Royal Family's wishes, "if that was the only solution".

In an emergency statement to the Commons, Mr Blunkett conceded that the speed with which the intruders were able to scale the wall was "of concern."




He said police would have shot the protester if he had been judged a terror risk.


On Tuesday Mr Blunkett said there had been similar incidents when Tory leader Michael Howard was home secretary.


Security lapse sparks fury
In pictures: Security breaches

He said the government had followed the recommendations of the security service MI5 after the September 11 attacks.

"I'm satisfied we did what was necessary. I'm not satisfied everything worked perfectly last night, although the cameras and alarms did," he told Radio 4's Today.

But he said he did not believe in having security which hid prominent buildings from the public.


Earlier the Liberal Democrats' Mark Oaten said the situation was "at best highly embarrassing and at worst could have had terrible consequences".

Fathers 4 Justice was set up by fathers who have either no access, or very limited access, to their children and feel they have been treated unfairly by courts.

But one campaigner said stunts do not necessarily help the fathers' rights cause.

President of the Equal Parenting Council Tony Coe said he acknowledged the "real tragedy and frustration" behind such protests.

"That said, we don't think that this kind of unlawful action helps, in fact it alienates the very people that we are trying to persuade," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

He said rather than focusing on the children, the protest had people talking about security issues.



HOW INTRUDER REACHED ROYAL BALCONY

1 Protesters create a diversion at the front gates of the palace.
2 "Batman" and "Robin" climb over low fence at side of palace grounds while security staff are distracted.
3 "Batman" climbs up a ladder on to the roof of an adjoining building. "Robin" comes down after police threaten to shoot him.
4 "Batman" shuffles from roof along ledge to the edge of the royal balcony, where he stages his high-profile protest. "

He's fairly lucky he wasnt shot. Even though he was wearing a batman suit he still makes a point, IMO. DOnt know about US but in the UK, in the fight for equal rights, women have all the rights.At least regarding children. For example, if a woman gets pregnant without being married, she can make the man pay significant "maintenence", for the child, every month. As an unmarried parent, he has no right to decide anything for the child or even see the child. IMO, he should either have the rights and responsibilities of a parent (having access and having to pay maintenance) or have neither.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is a bunch of amateur protesters. What on earth would we be seeing if this had been a serious terrorist attack?"

Come on, now, mates - they aren't scared enough, let's pump them full of some hypothetical terrorist attack, that always does the trick. Works bloody well in America.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

He said the government had followed the recommendations of the security service MI5 after the September 11 attacks.

"I'm satisfied we did what was necessary. I'm not satisfied everything worked perfectly last night, although the cameras and alarms did," he told Radio 4's Today.

But he said he did not believe in having security which hid prominent buildings from the public.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Have you ever seen the MI-5 building? It's the best camoflague the Brits could pull off. And, I'm sorry, handled well - can you imagine what we'd do to our secret service AT THIS POINT if Batman was allowed to scale the White House?

We are all so full of shit.

wtf ?

LOL i saw that on the news last night... at least he did it with some class and sported the throw back Adam West batman costume and yet again robin gets left out of the spot light. it's kinda scarry how somebody "dressed as Batman" could gain such easy access to buckingham palace, but honestly what were the guards to do... i mean you can't SHOOT Batman... robin maybe... but not BATMAN !!! lol
LOST

Robin pussed out - let's face it, that's what we all thought of Robin anyway.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

at least he did it with some class and sported the throw back Adam West batman costume<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Yeah, for real.

i can't beleave Robin pussed out though... i mean i can ... but... this could have been his chance to be in the spot light, instead of having to tend to batman's shoe strings. HOLLY ROYAL GUARDE BATMAN ... THEY ARE GOING TO SHOOT !!!
lol, Robin is such a TOOL
but welcome back TS nice to have you back chat is normaly going around 11pm if you or anybody for that matter wants to join.
LOST

(Message edited by Lost_onabbey_rd on September 15, 2004)

(Message edited by Lost_onabbey_rd on September 15, 2004)

[shroomzhilla]

I about friggin peed myself when I heard this shit on the radio! OMFG!!!! I spent the rest of the day doing doing my "I'm batman" imression Micheal Keaton did in the movie. I'm quirky that way and those that know me more or less know I'm refering to SOME inside joke.

[cutty]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Robin pussed out - let's face it, that's what we all thought of Robin anyway. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>Agreed.

According to the radio, the army are going to be put in charge of security at the palace and watchtowers and electric fences are going to be put up. Dont know if there thinking of doing or if its definite though.

Once again, Britain leads the way in eccentricity. Gotta love it.

i dont see what the big deal is. it's fucking batman, he can get wherever he wants, with that utility belt. i'd like to see a normal guy break into that palace.

[shroomzhilla]

And they did have the "bat signal" on too right?

And what they havent figured out is what happens when Superman turns up, he can stop bullets!They need to get cryptonite too.