MAKING A STATEMENT

French ‘Spider-Man’ Scales Hong Kong Skyscraper to Hang Peace Flag

Alain Robert hung a banner showing the Hong Kong and Chinese flags above a symbolic handshake.

French “Spider-Man” Alain Robert scaled one of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers on Friday and hung a banner calling for peace between Hong Kong and China amid weeks of protests throughout the city. Robert climbed up Cheung Kong Center in downtown Hong Kong, hanging a banner that showed the Hong Kong and Chinese flags above a symbolic handshake. Protests have continued throughout Hong Kong for the past 11 weeks, with the Hong Kong airport at one point shuttered for two days amid chaos. Robert was detained by Hong Kong police at the top of the tower. His lawyer, John Pickavant, told reporters that Robert is “laughing and smiling and he just wants to be released.” Robert is known for climbing iconic skyscrapers across the world like the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, and has climbed the Cheung Kong Center in the past.