Fathers' rights activists stage Buckingham Palace roof protest

Activists have climbed on to a roof at Buckingham Palace in a protest over fathers’ rights.

Fathers' rights activists stage Buckingham Palace roof protest

Activists have climbed on to a roof at Buckingham Palace in a protest over fathers’ rights.

Martin Matthews, 48, and Bobby Smith, 33, used a ladder to breach security after another campaigner caused a distraction outside the palace, a spokesman for the activists said.

They scaled the roof of the Queen’s Gallery, a public art gallery at Buckingham Palace, at around 3.15pm and held a banner which read: “I am Harry’s dad”, according to the spokesman.

The demonstration is part of a joint campaign by the groups New Fathers 4 Justice and Stop The War On Dads.

They have called for equal rights for fathers in divorce and separation proceedings and reform of the family courts.

A third activist, James Dennis from Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire, also attempted to scale the roof but is thought to have failed as security arrived, the spokesman said.

Mr Smith, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, dressed as Sesame Street character Elmo when he stood against David Cameron in the Prime Minister’s constituency of Witney, Oxfordshire, in the general election.

The activist previously scaled Westminster Abbey on Father’s Day.

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