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Earlier today thrillseeker/activist Alain Robert scaled the NY Times Building in order to draw attention to the Global Warming threat. He reportedly climbed 52 floors, to the roof, before being detained by police around 12:30 p.m. He did so without the aid of any climbing instruments (except his shoes) and sans the safety of a parachute strapped to his back.
On his website, the URL of which adorned his t-shirt, he stated:
Today is World Environment Day. I have climbed in New York, as a peaceful way to create support for far greater and urgent action from world leaders on global warming. Emissions are still climbing. So am I.If Jeb Corliss's case is any indication, Robert will likely face reckless endangerment charges. Email us any photos you have from the scene for the below gallery.
Update, 6/5: Another man scaled the NY Times building six hours after Robert did! Renaldo Clarke, an IT consultant who wanted to bring attention to malaria, was successful in his climb, though onlookers thought he wasn't as conditioned or prepared at Robert.
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thats an optical illusion. no one is that retarded
Who's the cutie standing to the right of the photographer?
narcissist.
wow, that's impressive.
Does anyone know if there's a permit process or something that would permit a person to do this kind of thing legally?
I'm not in favor of people taking inherently dangerous risks like this, but the guy obviously knows what he's doing.
Considering they let David Blaine do his lame-ass stunts, I'd think there would be some kind of vetting process to permit this.
I walked right past this today. I saw tons of people standing and gawking, but didn't think anything of it.
What a fucking narcissist.
Damn I wished I had been there to watch him do it... why don't they just announce it before so we can go see...
I got sweaty palms just looking at the pix. Lots of nerve to pull this one off - maybe he should just ask permission next time and save the taxpayers money.
Anything to steal attention away from Naked Cowboy.......
freak should be given to the people who got stuck in traffic. jackass should also pay for the city for having that many cops out.
LOL @ Sir Kenneth.
From what I know, the Times building is one of the greenest buildings in the city.
So if he's doing this to "protest" global warming he picked the wrong building.
I just read about his global warming message, and frankly, that kind of kills it for me.
I'd rather see someone do this kind of thing simply to show it could be done. Or for a $100 bet, like Brooklyn Bridge jumper Steven Brodie did in the 1880s.
Tempting fate has got a lot of people in deep shit trouble.
Notice he didn't do it this weekend when the weather is suppose to be HOT!
He has made the world a better place by doing this. Hasn't he?
I was walking past the loading dock of the NY Times building, wondering why a police car forced its way up 40th when they hauled him out the side door and took him away. Cops thought nothing of nearly hitting a few people on the way out in their hurry to get Spiderman away from the building.
People were still gawking out front of the NY Times building 30 minutes later, long after he'd been extracted from the building.
People are idiots.
He's not an "idiot' or "retarded" or narca.. whatever. He's just not a follower like all you fearful little maze rats.
Psh, the building's like a giant ladder. Hooray for the environment, though.
Wait a minute, they put up a building that looks like a giant ladder, and somebody climbed it? Shocker.
This would have had a much bigger impact if Al Gore did it.
Global Warming released a statement saying they are sorry and they will now stop thanks to this Alain's death-defying high jinx.
He would have struck a bigger blow against Global warming had he gone 'le splat'.
I wonder how strong the wind is at that height. That's the only thing I'd be nervous about.
This guy makes it look easy. Maybe I could go off and try it myself?
Climbing a building to call attention to global warming is about as useful as picking your nose to protest the war.
I wonder what kind of planning goes into this?
And, let's have a competition, him vs. steelworkers.
first one to plant their flag and whip it out wins.
catcalls to follow.
Alex:
Alain R is a pretty serious climber - the "ladder" on the NYT building was a walk in the park for him, but might not be for most people. Go look him up on YouTube, he's climbed much tougher buildings.
I can tell you (from experience) that climbing anything that tall with no protection is not a simple matter - all it takes is one slip...
icenined I wish you would have told me that before. I'm posting from my phone and I've made it what looks like 4 floors up. Get help, i'm too tired to climb down!!!
I thought that building was an unfinished parking garage for the longest time...
I don't have a tremendous problem with this sort of stuff. Phil Petit was feted and applauded in 1974 for walking a tightrope between the twin towers, and George Willig was admired for climbing one of the WTC towers in 1977.
www.forgotten-ny.com
6:07 there is now a second person climbing the NY Times building.
There's another guy climbing it right now!
I think his climbing stunts are awesome. Is it endangerment when you are experienced and know what you are doing?
Also, why does the cop in the last photo have a helmet on? If he falls, I'm not sure that'll help much and I'm also quite sure there aren't any loose bolts that are going to land on him from above either.
Cops wear helmets to let the populace know that they are really concerned and that this is a "serious" event. Unlike the FDNY that wear them all the time because they deal with serious events. If a person falls on you from above the fifth floor that helmet ain't going to do shit to save your life.
I still think it's kinda cool that this guy climbs buildings. Imagine facing your final hours on the earth and knowing that you did something like this. That would make me smile.
Wow! I will take it this guy is NOT afraid of heights! Must be a major thrill seeker for sure.
JT
http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com
just gotta say, my fear of heights and instantaneous vertigo slammed me just looking at a few of the pics. i'd shit my pants, fall off, then shit my pants some more, if i suddenly found myself where he is in the first pic or eighth pic (especially, with the perspective of the shots).
it's too bad it caused all the headaches for people though...
@anna merkin, yes, it would be pretty badass to know you'd done this when lying on your deathbed. definitely.
i doubt anything will ever compare with philippe petit walking the tightrope between the twin towers--now that, my dear, is fucking amazing.
The reason the police are wearing a helmet is that it is an OSHA requirement to wear a helmet when operating at 15 feet above grade (the ground) also there are lot of overhead hazards on the roof of a building such as the steel columns supporting the air conditioning units. It would probably knock you out or at the least make you bleed alot if you whacked your head. The helmet is also a standard piece of equipment for a rope rescue team member. Those specially trained cops are the rope rescue team for the police department. That is why the cop in the picture is wearing a helmet.