From Australia’s National Nine News this afternoon:

A Frenchman with an apparent aversion to lifts has been arrested in Sydney after climbing one of the city’s skyscrapers.

A female office worker who stopped to watch after a morning meeting said it was thrilling to see someone climb the building.

“I think it’s really important for people to push the limit,” she said after taking photos on her mobile phone.

“I think it’s an important part of life going out and doing crazy things. It’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s great. I love it.”

…

At an earlier press conference, Robert — a short, wiry man who looks like a mix of Wayne and Garth from the film Wayne’s World — admitted to feeling uneasy about the heavy rain that had fallen earlier in the day.

“The weather’s not good — maybe it’s the global warming,” he joked, referring to the environmental activism he is promoting during his appearance. “It’s going to make the structure slippery but I’m confident, the target is not that difficult.”

But the climate was on Robert’s side: the rain subsided by mid-morning and a rare ray of sun broke through the clouds as he reached the top of the 41-storey building.

…

Robert was taken to The Rocks police station and questioned before being charged with risking the safety of another by climbing a building or structure. He was released on bail to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday. It’s not the Frenchman’s first brush with NSW police: in 2003 he was arrested for scaling the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Read more about Alain Robert’s career of high-risk urban ascents in his book With Bare Hands — excerpts can be read at our site or on Amazon.