WATCH: Eiffel Tower Closed as Climber Scales Landmark [VIDEO]

The iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was closed on May 20, 2019 as someone tried to scale it. Photos and videos emerged showing the rescue efforts as authorities confirmed that a man tried to climb the 900-foot tall Eiffel Tower. You can see them throughout this article.

Daily Mail reported that a tower spokesperson confirmed there was a climber and said: “Police are negotiating with the man who is in a very dangerous position. To avoid a long wait, we advise people to postpone their visit.” A rescue worker wearing red was scaling the tower to try to save the man. Daily Mail reported that it appeared the climber got about 2/3rds up the tower.

A photo emerged on Snapchat that purportedly showed the climber clinging to the side of the tower. Mirror reported that the man is in his 40s and has now been arrested.

‌

ABC News posted a Periscope and Facebook video.

Witnesses described the climber as a man as “dangling” from the Eiffel Tower. “just having a picnic in the park when we notice there is literally a guy dangling from the eiffel tower,” a woman wrote. The person’s identity and motive were not yet clear.

Here’s what you need to know:

People Made Jokes About the Eiffel Tower Climber on Social Media

Although the situation could end up very dangerous for the climber involved, people reacted with humor on social media – and surprise.

Joked one Twitter user:

Others made remarks about “Spiderman.”

The La Tour Eiffel Twitter page confirmed the tourist attraction was closed. “The #tourEiffel is currently closed until further notice. To avoid too long a wait, we advise our visitors to postpone their visit,” the tweet explained.

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most famous landmarks. It dates to the late 1880s.

“In 1889, Paris hosted an Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) to mark the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution. More than 100 artists submitted competing plans for a monument to be built on the Champ-de-Mars, located in central Paris, and serve as the exposition’s entrance,” explains History.com. “The commission was granted to Eiffel et Compagnie, a consulting and construction firm owned by the acclaimed bridge builder, architect and metals expert Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel.”

Although the tower was originally supposed to be a “temporary exhibit,” it was saved because of its value as a “radiotelegraph station,” History.com reports.