Walter Finch
A MAN scaled the exterior of Estepona’s new town hall building and threatened to throw himself off if the Spanish king didn’t come.
Onlookers were shocked this morning to see the figure of a man gradually working his way up the outside of the seven-storey building.
The town hall, opened only last year, is sheathed in a white latticework façade which lends itself well to being climbed.
Once he made it to the rooftop, he started to make threats and behave erratically, pacing back and forth.
“If the king doesn’t come, I’ll throw myself off,” he said, according to Area Costa del Sol.
The area was cordoned off with both employees stuck inside the building and members of the public made to stay away,
A team of police, firefighters and psychologists were scrambled to the scene and a police source said: “They are trying to calm him down.”
After an extended period of time, the man was finally convinced to come down from the town hall roof peacefully where he received medical attention.
The €13 million architectural curiosity was inaugurated in March last year.
Its signature boast is an internal slide between the fourth and fifth floors to liven up the days of the 200 public sector workers expected to occupy the offices there.
The modern, seven-floor structure takes a cube shape, with a façade that is designed to protect the inhabitants from the malagueño sun.
It is also claimed to be the most sustainable town hall in Spain due to its ‘renewable energy sources’ and ‘bioclimatic solutions.’
