Toting a bright green banner sharing a message about global warming, French urban climber Alain Robert ascended the north face of the New York Times building yesterday, while the police and security officials cordoned off the sidewalk below. Upon reaching the top of the 52-story steel-and-glass “green” building, Robert submitted peacefully to an arrest by the police officers awaiting him there. Asked why he chose the Times building, he responded that he felt the media would give more prominent coverage to the situation if a man climbed a prominent building.
Five hours after Robert had gained the country’s attention, a copycat climber from Brooklyn made his own statement. The second man wore a shirt reading “Malaria No More” and, according to statements made by friends, didn’t have the high-rise climbing experiences of Robert.
Although both climbers reached the roof successfully and were cheered by by onlookers, security risks pose a major concern. Catherine Mathis, the Times’ spokeswoman, stated that “their illegal and ill-considered actions jeopardized their safety and the safety of others. We are taking steps to prevent future occurrences.”
