Protesters sparked a security alert at Buckingham Palace after clambering on to a roof and refusing to get down.
Two men bypassed security by using a ladder to climb on top of the Queen's Gallery off Buckingham Palace Road, which is part of the estate, in a protest over fathers’ rights.
Officers remained in a standoff with the men at 10.45pm having first been called at about 4.30pm.
Speaking over the phone from his perch on the roof, Martin Matthews, 48, said it was "easier to climb on the roof of Buckingham Palace than getting to see one's children these days".
Fathers rights protesters climb into BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN PROTEST OF FATHERS NOT SEEING THEIR CHILDREN #stopthewarondads #newfathers4justice
Posted by Fathers Justice on Sunday, 29 November 2015
He told the Standard that they had confindently marched up through a "nest" of armed police, put a ladder against the wall, and simply climbed up as if they were workmen.
A video posted on Facebook (above) showed them walking with the ladder before using it to ascend the wall.
The pair then unfurled a banner which read: "I am Harry's dad."
Mr Matthews said he and fellow protester Bobby Smith, 33, planned to remain as long as they could.
"It's wet, it's cold, but we're in good spirits," he said.
Speaking again at about 8.15pm, Mr Matthews added that they had coffee and donuts and were "very comfortable".
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Officers are currently speaking with the people concerned. The incident is ongoing.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Stop the War on Dad's protesters have scaled a roof in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stopthewarondads?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3125646-https://twitter.com/hashtag/stopthewarondads?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#stopthewarondads</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/yW2pUmSwuz" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3125646-https://t.co/yW2pUmSwuz" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/yW2pUmSwuz</a> — peter morris (@pete_j_morris) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/pete_j_morris/status/671024517960105984" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3125646-https://twitter.com/pete_j_morris/status/671024517960105984" data-vars-event-id="c23">November 29, 2015</a>
The demonstration is part of a joint campaign by the groups New Fathers 4 Justice and Stop The War On Dads.
They have called for equal rights for fathers in divorce and separation proceedings and reform of the family courts.
A third activist also attempted to scale the roof but is thought to have failed as security arrived.
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