LONDON — While much of Britain’s attention has been focused on the lawmakers debating Brexit inside the government building of Westminster in recent weeks, for a short time on Friday, attention turned to a man dressed as Prime Minister Boris Johnson outside the building.

There, the climate activist scaled the scaffolding-clad exterior of the tower housing the Great Bell known as Big Ben, and unfurled two banners.

Onlookers watched as the man, identified on the website of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion as Ben Atkinson, 43, who was carrying a backpack and dressed in an oversize suit jacket, bright green tights and a disheveled blond wig, made his way halfway up the tower.

He rolled out bright yellow signs with the words “Citizen’s Assembly” and the Extinction Rebellion symbol.

Bystanders posted photos and videos on social media as the man made his way up the tower and police officers shouted at him to come down.

Extinction Rebellion, a group of environmental activists who use disruptive tactics to draw attention to climate change, have been staging protests throughout London and elsewhere in Britain for two weeks as part of its “Autumn Uprising” demonstrations. The action on Friday, the end to came the group’s current campaign in the British capital.

The group posted a message on Twitter a short time later saying that the man was a tree surgeon. Earlier, a few protesters had blocked Oxford Street, a main shopping avenue in London.

Police officials confirmed that officers went to the tower area after receiving reports around 3:30 p.m. that a man was trying to scale the scaffolding. An hour later, he began to climb back down using a rope. But around 5 p.m. local time, footage showed gesturing to the police and appearing to pull down his tights and moon the crowd below.

A short time later, some of the emergency service workers who arrived at the site attached a safety rope to Mr. Atkinson, with his cooperation. But he remained perched on a metal beam and spoke to someone on the phone around 5:15 p.m. local time.

Big Ben’s tower, at the north end of Westminster, has been under construction since 2017. British lawmakers meet in the palace on Saturday for a special sitting of the government to vote on Mr. Johnson’s plan for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Around the same time, part of the Whitehall area, the site of several other government buildings, was cordoned off because of a suspicious package. But a short time later, the police determined that the area was secured and lifted the restrictions.

At the same time the protester was climbing the tower, dozens of other Extinction Rebellion activists gathered in nearby Trafalgar Square.

Earlier this week, the police banned Extinction Rebellion’s actions in Central London, but the group has continued to stage demonstrations.

On Thursday, a few other activists drew the ire of some morning commuters when they climbed atop trains in east London, causing severe delays. The transport police said at least eight people were arrested.

Megan Specia is a story editor on the International Desk, specializing in digital storytelling and breaking news. @meganspecia

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