Protester who attacked BBC statue by paedophile sculptor Eric Gill is father's ...

Protester who attacked BBC statue by paedophile sculptor Eric Gill is father's ...
Protester who attacked BBC statue by paedophile sculptor Eric Gill is father's ...

A protester who used a hammer to attack a statue by known paedophile Eric Gill on the outside of the BBC's Broadcasting House is a notorious Fathers 4 Justice campaigner.

David Chick, 52, had most recently been seen last year above a crane in East London in April last year dressed in his familiar Spiderman mask. 

Previously he had donned the superhero outfit near Tower Bridge in 2003 on a different crane to protest fathers' rights. He was cleared of causing a public nuisance the following year.

Mr Chick said at the time he had carried out the stunt in frustration over difficulties in seeing his daughter.  

Yesterday he was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and was today being held in custody by the Metropolitan Police.

It came after a statute - Prospero and Ariel - was attacked by a protester with a hammer at its home at the entrance to the BBC's Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London.

Campaigners have long-called for the statue to be removed since it was revealed decades after his death in 1940 that its creator Eric Gill sexually abused his two eldest daughters.

His 1933 statue, which is inspired by Shakespeare's play The Tempest, was set upon with a hammer for almost four hours.

Met Police officers and the London Fire Brigade used an elevated platform to bring the man to safety before detaining him.

Police officers detained him after he climbed onto the statues Prospero and Ariel from Shakespeare's play The Tempest by the sculptor Eric Gill outside of the BBC's headquarters

Police officers detained him after he climbed onto the statues Prospero and Ariel from Shakespeare's play The Tempest by the sculptor Eric Gill outside of the BBC's headquarters

He was protesting because sculptor Eric Gill was a paedophile who abused his own children

He was protesting because sculptor Eric Gill was a paedophile who abused his own children

Chick donned the superhero outfit near Tower Bridge in 2003 on a different crane to protest

Chick donned the superhero outfit near Tower Bridge in 2003 on a different crane to protest

A force spokesman told MailOnline:  'Police were called at approximately 4.15pm on January 12 to reports of a man damaging a statue on a ledge outside a building in Portland Place. Officers attended.

'The man came down with assistance from London Fire Brigade at around 8.45pm.

'He was checked by London Ambulance Service before being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken into custody.

'The property owners are examining any damage to the statue and building.

'Another man was earlier arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage. He also remains in custody.

'Road closures have now been lifted.'

The incident came a week after a jury cleared four people of criminal damage despite the fact they did not deny pulling down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

The verdict sparked debate over the criminality and ethics of vandalising statues that are deemed controversial.

A protester attempts to damage a statue by sculptor Eric Gill

A protester attempts to damage a statue by sculptor Eric Gill

The man used a ladder to access the 10ft statue and hit it with a hammer for more than four hours, knocking pieces off

Pieces of broken plaster are seen on the ground after the activist damaged the statue in front of police officers on Wednesday

Pieces of broken plaster are seen on the ground after the activist

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