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A lone protester was today involved in a bizarre stand-off with police after climbing onto the plinth of the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square.

The 22-year-old man climbed up next to the bronze sculpture and refused to get down after authorities forced Occupy protesters to move from the square.

He spent last night on the plinth and initially grabbed a police officer’s hat and placed it on his own head, but later returned it.

The man, known only as Danny, was pictured holding a placard, which stated: “The revolution will not be confiscated.”

Despite the relatively low height of the plinth, officers are understood to have been instructed not to grab his leg to bring him down in case he was injured.

The protester said: “I’m up here because Churchill is a symbol is freedom and we’ve had our freedom to protest removed, with no explanation why.”

It follows five days of protests in the square by Occupy campaigners.

Police said the protesters were evicted for having equipment that could be used for sleeping in Parliament Square, which is illegal under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

The campaigners slept on tarpaulins, refused to give them up and were removed.

A Met Police spokesman said: “Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest whilst balancing the needs of London communities and minimising any disruption.

“We will not take sides, but we seek to apply the law fairly and proportionately.”

In 2000, a student was jailed for 30 days after placing a turf “mohican” on the statue’s bronze head during the May Day riots.