Results tagged “alainrobert”

While climbers #2 and 3, Renaldo Clarke and David Malone, were indicted for scaling the New York Times building earlier this year and currently face up to a year in prison, climber #1, Alain Robert, has received a slap on the wrist. With a grand jury rejecting criminal charges this summer, he pleaded guilty yesterday to disorderly conduct (which has no criminal record attached), and was fined $250 and three days community service.

One of the climbers who scaled the NY Times building earlier this year is making headlines again. Although both Renaldo Clarke and Alain Robert climbed the same building unannounced on June 5th, their stunts are being treated differently, The NY Times reports. Robert is being viewed as a professional stuntman, while Clarke is not-- despite his attempts to convince the court otherwise (he says he previously climbed the Hearst building unnoticed). Clarke appeared in State Supreme Court in Manhattan yesterday and (just like the third climber) was indicted on criminal charges, something Robert avoided with his charges being dropped. He could now face up to a year in prison, something his lawyer says is "a little disappointing. I guess they bought the first guy’s claim that he’s Mr. Experienced Climber.” Mr. Unexperienced Climber will now be seeking a plea deal.

After a third person managed to scale up its ladder-like exterior, workers went to work removing a number of the horizontal "rungs" gracing the New York Times Building. The NY Times dutifully reports this decision "represented a reversal for The Times, which had insisted that it would not remove the rods after two men scaled the building on June 5, using the veil of rods as a ladder."

So much for the security modifications outside: Over night, a third person scaled the exterior of the New York Times Building on Eighth Avenue at 41st Street in Midtown Manhattan. The first reports of his presence were around 1:30 a.m., and the NY Times reports, "after staying on the building for about four hours, the man surrendered to police officers and was arrested around 5:20 a.m."

Earlier this year Queens Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. introduced a bill that would make it illegal to jump or climb a building (monument, statue, crane and bridge) 25-feet or taller. Yesterday the City Council unveiled bill No. 721, which The NY Times is calling the "anti-Spidey law."

A week ago, Alain Robert scaled the New York Times Building to make a statement about the lack of government action on environmental issues (here's his website). Naturally, a stunt like that got Robert arrested, but a grand jury has dismissed the misdemeanor charges of trespassing, graffiti, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.

A lawyer for the "French Spiderman" who scaled the New York Times building last week believes his client should be honored, not reprimanded by the city. Alain Robert, who used the 52-story climb to draw attention to global warming (he unveiled a banner reading "Global warming kills more people than 9/11 every week"), appeared in court and faces misdemeanor charges including reckless endangerment, trespassing, disorderly conduct and graffiti.

Currently, there's another climber scaling the side of the New York Times Building on Eighth Avenue at 41st Street, and as one commenter said earlier, "Wait a minute, they put up a building that looks like a giant ladder, and somebody climbed it? Shocker." He/She is somewhere between the 20th and 30th floors.

           

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.

At approximately 11:57 a.m. a news alert came in saying there was a large crowd gathered at 620 8th Avenue and West 40th Street. "LEVEL 1 CALLED FOR CROWD CONTROL, AND A POSSIBLE PERSON ATTEMPTING TO JUMP DOWN FROM A BLDG." A reader wrote in minutes later saying, "Someone is climbing the exterior of the NY Times building."

Queens Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. has introduced a bill that would have Evel Knievel rolling in his grave. If it becomes law, stunt men are going to have a tough time working on their craft in New York, as it would outlaw climbing and jumping off any structure taller than 25 feet; daredevils could get fined and spend up to a year in jail. Alain Robert is not going to be happy about this (video).