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Who is man dangling from Trump Tower? Onlookers think it's a ‘Batman’ stunt as Internet dubs him ‘QAnon person’

As per local reports, the man has threatened to kill himself if not allowed to speak to President Donald Trump

In a bizarre incident, a man was seen dangling from Trump International Hotel and Tower by a rope off the 16th-floor balcony of the 1,390 feet high and 98-storeyed Trump Tower in Chicago on Sunday, October 18, 2020 evening. A number of photos and videos of the $847 million skyscraper condo-hotel in the Illinois city's downtown soon started circulating on social media as the figure scaled the tower in front of hundreds of terrified onlookers.

According to the Chicago Scanner, the man was threatening to cut the rope or jump. In no time, police officers and firefighters were deployed on the scene. Several officers were seen on a terrace above the man asking him to climb up, but he refused to budge. As per local reports, the man has threatened to kill himself if not allowed to speak to President Donald Trump. 

Sources say that the man has been there since 6 pm and a SWAT team and Marine Unit are present at the scene. The man appears to be hanging near to the word 'Trump' in the building's name. A 29-year-old eyewitness told the Mirror: "A man is currently hanging off the side of the tower. There are police on top of the tower and in boats on the river. Not sure how he got up there but has been there for over an hour. There are some reports saying he is threatening suicide if he doesn’t speak to POTUS. There was a large crowd both above and below the bridge, but people kind of faded away as the sunset."

The president is not currently in Chicago. He was at Newport Beach, California, earlier on October 18, before heading to Carson City, Nevada, amid his re-election campaign tour. As per a Chicago Sun-Times report, the man is in his 20s and has been dangling from the tower’s lower rooftop deck since about 5.15 pm, according to Chicago Police spokesman Tom Ahern. Police officers at the scene said they believe the man is using a climbing harness.

The report also said that cops have blocked off traffic around Trump Tower, which overlooks the Chicago River at 401 N. Wabash Ave. "A crowd of onlookers gathered across from the tower, some wondering if it was part of a stunt for the upcoming Batman movie, which has been shooting in the city recently," it additionally read. As of now, the man hasn't been identified as an employee refused to divulge his name.

The incident sparked much fear on social media. "Wow A man dangles from atop Trump Tower in Chicago, demanding to speak with the President. Multiple emergency resources and first responders on scene," a Twitter user wrote and shared another video saying, "Witness view of the scene in #Chicago where a man is dangling from the top of Trump Tower and is demanding to speak with the President."

When one Twitter user asked, "Can anyone guess what he wants to ask him??" a number of jokes surfaced on the micro-blogging site. "What product he uses to get that shade of orange?" one said and another posted, "How to file his tax returns." A third said, "Can I wash your windows?" and a fourth quipped, "YOUR WINDOWS ARE DIRTYYYY, I CAN WASH THEM FOR FIDDY BUCKS."

Many others thought the incident had QAnon connections. "Probably a QAnon person lol," one tweet read and another said, "Man hanging off a rope at Chicago Trump Tower saying he will cut the rope unless he gets to speak directly with Trump. This is 100% some Q shit."

This is not the first time someone tried to attempt a stunt like that. Back in 2016, police captured a man who tried to scale the side of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The man was captured after officers reportedly knocked out a full window pane on the 21st floor of the 58-story building. Hours after the incident, Trump thanked the NYPD saying, "Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber."

This is a developing story. We will update it with the latest reports.