A man protesting about freedom in Iran scaled the King’s Cross clock tower while holding a dog before being brought down and arrested nearly four hours later.
The activist, wearing a black T-shirt with the slogan “no to war”, unfurled a banner featuring the words “Freedom for Iran” and “Iran belongs to its people”.
Bizarrely, he performed the stunt on Tuesday morning while holding a dog which was spotted with him at the top of the station structure.
British Transport Police officers closed a section of the plaza outside the world-famous station, while London Fire Brigade officers went up on a turntable ladder to talk to the activist in a bid to end the incident.
The man is believed to have reached the top of the clock tower at just after 8am, to start a stand-off which came to an end after almost four hours after he was brought down shortly before midday.
British Transport Police said he had been arrested on suspicion of causing a public nusiance.
Firefighters had earlier persuaded him to hand over the dog and allow it to be brought to the ground around three hours into the stand-off.
He was seen shouting down to the crowds below, before speaking animatedly to the LFB officers.
Onlookers cheered as the animal came safely down.
At times he was stood up, with the dog held under his left arm, and has now sat down, while continuing to speak and gesture.
The front entrance to the rail lines and Tube station at King’s Cross was blocked off, but the incident did not appear to be affecting services.
A spokesman for British Transport Police said officers had been called to the station to "reports of a person in a precarious position".
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon the force added: "Officers attended alongside other emergency services, and a man was safely removed from the position and arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance."
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said before the incident was concluded: “The Brigade was called at 8.14am to reports of a man on the roof of King’s Cross railway station on Euston Road. Two fire engines and around ten firefighters are currently on scene assisting British Transport Police.”
As the incident unfolded, the protester was seen apparently in tears. He has repeatedly altered the position and fixing of his banner, which had a rucksack strapped to the bottom and occasionally blowed in the wind.
