A man has been arrested after a controversial statue at BBC headquarters was attacked with a hammer by a person in a Spider-Man mask.
Police spent several hours attempting to safely detain the individual, who had climbed scaffolding on the building, on Saturday afternoon following damage to Grade II listed statue at Broadcasting House.
He was arrested shortly after 6pm on suspicion of criminal damage and going equipped.
The famous sculpture depicts Prospero and Ariel from Shakespeare’s The Tempest - but Eric Gill, the long-deceased artist, is understood from entries in his posthumous diaries to have sexually abused two of his daughters and family dog.
Police spent hours trying to detain the individual safely (PA)It was previously targeted with a hammer last year, and had only recently been repaired.
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On Tuesday, the BBC said after “careful consideration” taking into account the historical and cultural significance of the building, the previous restoration had been agreed with all costs covered through the corporation’s insurance and not the licence fee.
A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: "Police were called at around 04:15hrs on Saturday, 20 May, to a man climbing scaffolding at premises in Portland Place. The man was reportedly damaging a sculpture."
"Officers attended the location. Due to the circumstances of the incident, including the height, specialist officers were called to the scene.
"Shortly after 18:00hrs the man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and going equipped. He will be taken into police custody."
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