A man who scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge, bringing morning traffic to a standstill, is back on the ground but the incident has raised questions about how he was able to climb the landmark.
The man asked the driver of the taxi he was in to pull over in the middle of the bridge just after 9am on Friday.
He then jumped out of the cab and began climbing a pillar on the northern side before sitting within the iron structure just under the top of the arch.
Police attempted to negotiate with the man, but he refused to speak to officers and negotiators were called in.
Search and rescue officers were also on the scene but the man climbed down the bridge on his own just before 11am and was arrested and taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for assessment.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge, which has been publicly identified as a potential terror target, has its own private security but they don't have powers to detain bridge climbers.
"It's a concern to both us and other agencies involved and we are currently looking into how that male did actually get access to the Sydney Harbour Bridge," Acting Inspector Scott MacGee said.
But when asked if the incident would spark a review, he replied: "I don't think so."
"We're looking into why and how he gained access to the bridge, we don't believe there's any sinister motive involved."
It's possible the man will face charges, however police say that will depend on the outcome of his medical assessment.
Police have also spoken to the taxi driver but it's unclear at this stage whether that person will face charges for stopping on the bridge.
Act Insp MacGee apologised to motorists for delays caused by the incident but said officers worked as quickly as they could to re-open the roads.
"We stopped a lot of the traffic coming onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge," he said.
Share
