CHINA: French daredevil Alain Robert scales China's tallest building, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, before being arrested by police

Record ID: 284970

  • Title: CHINA: French daredevil Alain Robert scales China's tallest building, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, before being arrested by police
  • Date: 1st June 2007
  • Summary: (L!1) SHANGHAI, CHINA (MAY 30, 2007) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALAIN ROBERT SAYING: "Now what is difficult is the access, which is another story. So one side of the story is more like James Bond and the other side is more like climbing a ladder."
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA4U4JUSUZXW2ILDDU38L49L9JN
  • Story Text: Dressed in a Spiderman costume, French daredevil climber Alain Robert on Thursday (May 31) scaled the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower, China's tallest building, ignoring warnings from police officers below that he was breaking Chinese law.
    The 44-year-old Robert, whose portfolio of previous ascents include the world's major skyscrapers such as Sears Tower in Chicago and Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Twin Towers, was arrested just as he reached ground after descending from the Shanghai landmark.
    The aerial dare-devil, dubbed "Spiderman" by media for climbing buildings without ropes, decided to mount the iron-and-glass structure without permission after authorities turned down two requests to do so.
    He was beat to becoming the first person to climb the 421-metre (1,381 feet) tower in 2001 when 31-year-old Chinese shoe salesman Han Qizhi scaled the Jin Mao Tower after Robert told local media that clambering the steel grid that sheathes the building would be "as easy as climbing a ladder."
    Han, who had happened to walk by the building and acted on a "rash impulse", was immediately arrested and remained in custody for about two weeks.
    Robert reiterated that the building was easy to climb, but added the key was to avoid being detected by security officers before his climb.
    "Now what is difficult is the access, which is another story. So one side of the story is more like James Bond and the other side is more like climbing a ladder," he said.
    He added he could not resist climbing the Jin Mao, the fourth-tallest building in the world as he had already climbed the three tallest buildings in the world. Besides being an office building, The Jin Mao Tower also houses the Hyatt Hotel in Shanghai.
    Robert has climbed over 65 buildings around the world, including the Eiffel Tower, London's Canary Wharf building, New York's Empire State Building and Chicago's Sear's Tower.
    In 2004 he fended off stormy weather to climb the world's tallest building, Taipei 101, in Taiwan's capital.
    He said he would keep on climbing buildings as it was a way to demonstrate his free and adventurous spirit to the people.
    "You know, nowadays the problem is that we are trying to live in a world so secure, so safe. And of course, me, this is my own way to show to the people, okay, sometimes it's good not to follow all the rules, because you are also missing all the fun," he said.
    More than a hundred onlookers had gathered around the tower, after news of his ascent spread. Many cheered him on as he climbed up to reach the pinnacle before climbing down.
    Police had to cordon off certain areas as well as direct traffic as the crowd looked on.
    Firefighters were also at hand to spread a safety canvas along the grounds of the tower.
    "I am so thrilled, he must have such an adventurous spirit," said one onlooker.
    Another onlooker added: "I think he must be doing this for a special reason. Maybe he wants to show his love for his girlfriend, or maybe he wants to show his ability and confidence."
    As he reached the foot of the tower, he was promptly arrested by police officers who have been waiting for him after he spent more than an hour and a half scaling up and down the tower.
    Robert said he had consulted lawyers and French diplomats before the attempt and he expected to face fifteen days in custody and a fine of up to 10,000 yuan for his attempt.
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