- Palace security fails again
- Herald Sun
- 25/11/2004 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: admin ( 100 articles in 2004 )
Ho-ho-hold it right there:.. Robert Pyke, dressed as Santa Claus, stands atop the gate post of Buckingham Palace.
A PROTESTER dressed as Santa made a mockery of upgraded Buckingham Palace security yesterday.
David Pyke, carrying out a stunt in the name of Fathers for Justice, managed to do so despite the attendance of dozens of police.
The 49-year-old father of two scaled the palace gates and chained himself to the top of a 6m pillar, from where he spent the next two hours, dressed as Santa Claus, shouting fathers' rights slogans.
The Queen was inside the palace throughout the incident.
In September, fellow Fathers for Justice campaigner Jason Hatch climbed on to a palace balcony dressed as Batman.
Mr Pyke tried to join him then, dressed as Robin, but was stopped by police.
The Queen was said to have ordered "decisive action" and the Metropolitan Police carried out an urgent review of royal security.
An electric fence was put up around the palace.
Mr Pyke had apparently intended to jump on the Queen's horse-drawn coach as she left the palace for the State Opening of Parliament yesterday.
According to Mr Hatch, one of three men who helped him, that plan was abandoned after he realised he was at risk of being shot by anti-terrorist police.
"We decided on the spur of the moment to go for the gates," Mr Hatch said.
Police on a hydraulic hoist took Mr Pyke down.
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