On the afternoon of Tuesday, 8th October, two men were spotted at the top of the famous Leadenhall Building, known colloquially as the Cheese Grater, in Central London. Onlookers watched in horror as these men traversed the rooftop of the 225-metre skyscraper without any ropes or harnesses.
The two men, whose identities are currently unknown, were espied by the guests at Horizon 22, the tallest viewing platform in the city. From this vantage point the alarm was quickly raised over the perilous situation.
The men, both dressed in suits and carrying backpacks, were videoed atop the building by a civilian eyewitness, and the near miss caught on camera is enough to make anyone’s stomach turn.
It appears they gained access to the roof by disguising themselves as businessmen and breaking onto the roof through emergency doors reserved for engineers or window cleaners of the building.
This is not the first time the building has been illegally scaled. In 2023, a man was arrested for free climbing the Cheese Grater, again with no safety equipment.
As onlookers watched in horror, they witnessed one of the men trip over whilst traversing a thin ledge at the edge of the building, losing his balance and falling forward. Many were convinced he would fall 52 stories to his death, but he regained his footing and continued round the ledge.
The screams heard in the video give a representation of the shock of the witnesses and staff from this traumatic occurrence, as the man avoided his own tragic demise by mere centimetres.
See the full video here.
One theory among civilians who witnessed the incident was that it appeared they may have been engaging in a protest and had gained access to the roof of the building to deface the property.
This incident comes just two weeks after protesters defaced a Van Gogh original in the London National Gallery on 27th September, but it is currently unknown if the two are linked.
This lucky escape underscores the lengths some protesters will go to, and in this case, willing to die for their cause. Representatives of the Leadenhall Building are yet to comment on the situation.
Photo credit: Ben Kane
