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'Batman' protest at queen's palace

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A fathers rights campaigner dressed as Batman has evaded tight security to stage a dramatic protest on a Buckingham Palace balcony.

Police, facing their second security breach in four months after the group pelted Prime Minister Tony Blair with flour-filled condoms, tried in vain on Monday to talk the protester down from Queen Elizabeth's London residence.

The campaign group Fathers 4 Justice said police had threatened to shoot a would-be accomplice dressed as comic hero Batman's sidekick Robin. Police declined to comment on the incident.

Neither the queen nor other members of the royal family were at the palace at the time of the protest, the palace said.

"There is an intruder," was all a palace spokeswoman would say to CNN. "It is a matter for the police."

Fathers 4 Justice said protester Jason Hatch had been on the palace balcony -- which is used by the royals for ceremonial occasions -- since midday BST.

Hutch, standing on a ledge to the right hand side of the balcony, unfurled a banner that read: "Super dads of fathers 4 justice."

Also on the banner are the words: "Fighting for your right to your kids."

Darly Westell, a spokesman for the protest group, told Reuters: "We created a diversion at the front gates of the palace to allow Batman and Robin to walk up to the side with long ladders and climb over the fence.

"Police threatened to shoot Robin unless he got down from the fence -- which we think is unacceptable because this is a peaceful, non-violent protest. But Batman was able to continue.

"He is a very resilient man and he is desperate. He has supplies to last him for several days."

Royal security was reviewed after a Daily Mirror reporter got a job at Buckingham Palace as a servant before U.S. President George W. Bush stayed there during a state visit in November last year.

Stand-up comedian Aaron Barschak also highlighted lax security by gate-crashing Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor in June last year.

Fathers 4 Justice, which says Britain's courts are biased against fathers in divorce cases involving child access, are notorious for their publicity stunts.

The attack on Blair in the House of Commons four months ago caused a massive security alert, closed the chamber and prompted changes to access rules for parliament.

[original article]

Posted by thinkum at September 13, 2004 03:09 PM