Dads’ rights protest scales Palace roof

TWO fathers’ rights campaigners occupied the roof of a section of Buckingham Palace yesterday to highlight their ‘fight’ for reform of the family courts.

The activists used a ladder to scale the Queen’s Gallery – a public gallery adjoining the main building – after another campaigner caused a distraction.

Police were still in a stand-off with the protesters through the afternoon and evening, and the incident has raised serious security concerns.

Martin Matthews, 48, and Bobby Smith, 33, scaled the building yester- day afternoon and held a banner which read: ‘I am Harry’s dad’ in reference to Prince Harry.

A third activist, James Dennis from Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire, also tried to scale the roof but is thought to have failed as security arrived. One of the protesters, ITV reported, said last night: ‘It was easy to get up and we could have gone further’.

The banner was said to be an abstract comment on how children are often encouraged to take sides when their parents split up.

Both Mr Matthews and Mr Smith have been involved in previous demonstrations.

Mr Smith, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, stood against Prime Minister David Cameron in his constituency of Witney, Oxfordshire, dressed as Sesame Street character Elmo and in June he scaled Westminster Abbey as part of a Father’s Day demonstration.

And in October Mr Matthews, from Great Bookham in Surrey, scaled the home of Chris Grayling, the Leader of the House of Commons in costume with Mr Smith.

The Queen’s Gallery building contains a wide- range of Royal Collection treasures including portraits of the Queen.

A Royal source told the Mail that the Queen was at Windsor after returning from Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting in Malta.

And it was stressed that the protestors hadn’t accessed any private areas but were on top of the Queen’s Gallery, which has an entrance that is not inside the perimeter fence.

Buckingham Palace said it was a matter for the Metropolitan Police.

‘It was easy to get up’