Alain Robert Scales Hong Kong Skyscraper Barehanded To Protest Global Warming

HONG KONG — A French daredevil scaled a 73-story Hong Kong skyscraper barehanded Tuesday, his latest attempt to draw attention to global warming by climbing up the world's tallest buildings.

Alain Robert, dubbed the French spider-man, has scaled dozens of tall structures without ropes or harnesses, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Empire State Building in New York and Malaysia's Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

It took Robert about 40 minutes Tuesday to scramble up the downtown Cheung Kong Center _ the flagship building of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing. Upon reaching the top of the 885.83-foot (270-meter) building, Robert waved to a crowd of spectators on the ground below.

The 46-year-old said police officers questioned him after the ascent, but released him without any charges.

Robert said he hoped his climbs could help bring attention to the world's environmental problems.

"The global warming is something that is going to affect the next generation," Robert told reporters on the ground level. "The future is really compromised if we are not doing anything."

Police spokesman Lawrence Li said they were aware of a man outside the building and that he was safe. Li said officers did not press any charge against the man.

It's the fourth time Robert has mounted a skyscraper in Hong Kong. He scrambled up the city's 45-story Four Seasons hotel last year.

Comments

[mahdeealoo]

11:05 AM on 02/18/2009

The world is going to be just fine; we may not be here to enjoy it...

[learntofly]

07:35 PM on 02/17/2009

Toby McGuire, toughen up. The competitio­n is doing his bit.

[culturaldiplomat]

07:33 PM on 02/17/2009

An incredible feat! Now that's thinking outside the box!

http://cul­turaldiplo­mat.com

[ajmediator]

05:57 PM on 02/17/2009

He apparently accomplish­ed his goal of getting his message out because you all are talking about it. At least he's not sitting on his opinions!

[powder chowder]

05:43 PM on 02/17/2009

there's got to be a safer way to commnunica­te his message... albeit a good one. what a nutter!

[glblcooling]

05:06 PM on 02/17/2009

The man-made global warming hoax is just about over. You really do not want to be the last one on your block that still believes in man-made global warming. I am just suggesting that you consider the science being put forth that directly contradict­s the man-made global warming nonsense.

[Peacedog]

05:16 PM on 02/17/2009

If you are worried about being the "last on your block" then you are concerned with fashion, not science. If you would rather chase the herd than think for yourself, glblcoolin­g, then go right ahead... Leave the heavy lifting to those of us that can handle it:

http://www­.ncdc.noaa­.gov/oa/cl­imate/glob­alwarming.­html#q1

[Politisizer]

08:19 PM on 02/17/2009

Wow - surely you aren't that stup.id? The people touting this rubbish are using butc.hered scientific evidence to push their theories..­.

[rockingbeat]

04:51 PM on 02/17/2009

So you want the earth to FREEZE? I hate hearing "reverse global warming" It's the weather. You deal with it, you can't change it.

[scoochman]

04:32 PM on 02/17/2009

Wow. The planet feels cooler already, thanks to this clown scaling a building.

[fiberoptimist]

04:01 PM on 02/17/2009

The Republican­s will no doubt complain that he took the elevator back down to the ground floor.

[MaxGodart]

03:53 PM on 02/17/2009

VAS - Y ALAIN ! ! !

To the ones who question is behavior, what are you doing to bring awareness on and fight global warming?

[phredralf]

03:15 PM on 02/17/2009

As humanity clings to its last bit of resources and dignity in a blistering and toxic world with relatively few species, we will look back at men like Alain Robert and ask why we were so resistant to wake up.

[williamjgc]

03:50 PM on 02/17/2009

phredralf:

You are creating the future by what you say. Is that best you can do??

[phredralf]

05:26 PM on 02/17/2009

Well, I think visualizin­g the darker future rather than putting our heads in the sand is our fastest course to a solution. I'm on Alain's side in case you didn't catch that.

[jymfrancais]

03:03 PM on 02/17/2009

They had "Man on a Wire" now they have "Man on a building"

[lawguy]

02:43 PM on 02/17/2009

I resent this guy for making the rest of us deal with the inevitable plunge to death that he'll have eventually­.

[newworldman777]

01:42 PM on 02/17/2009

That is quite a daring stunt to perform in order to focus attention upon global warming. All it takes is one slip, or perhaps a dizzy spell, and Robert would be on the fast track toward the hereafter. He is evidently passionate about his cause -- a worthy one at that -- and my hat is off to him.

I am especially in awe of Robert because I have been altophobic since my childhood days. My father's 42-year-ol­d brother (one of those notorious Native American ironworker­s) was helping to erect the iron structure of the Watergate building during its constructi­on in Washington­, D.C. in 1965. He slipped and fell from the 7th floor and was consequent­ly killed when he hit the ground head-first­. I attended his funeral as a 7-year-old­, and my family would sometimes drive by the Watergate building (pre-Nixon scandal days) to observe the scene of his death. I have been wary of heights ever since.

[Jason G]

01:28 PM on 02/17/2009

Let's hope he cashes out while he's ahead.