Daredevil climbs Trump Tower with suction cups

A man climbing Trump Tower managed to make it up 21 floors before he was grabbed by the NYPD. In a cryptic video posted to YouTube, he claimed that he did so to get Donald Trump’s attention and urged viewers to vote for Trump, as well as make it go viral.

The climber was going up the East 56th Street side and had made it to the fifth floor. Video from the site showed police officers apparently trying to talk him down.

As he tried to climb past a window with police hanging out of it, they managed to nab him and pull him to safety.

At a press conference the officer who pulled the climber, allegedly identified as Stephen Rogata of Virginia, to safety said, "I waited for that perfect time to present itself." He went on to say, "When it presented itself, I reached out, I took his hand and I said 'Sir, come with me.'"

A prerecorded video from the man claiming to be the climber directed to Trump stated that, "The reason why I am climbing is to get your attention. If I had sought this via conventional means, I would be much less likely to have success because you are a busy man with many responsibilities." He also encouraged viewers to "Get out and vote for Trump in the 2016 election."

Police lowered a harness clip, but Rogata refused assistance from police. The officer explained, "I was lowering the safety line to him... He was climbing for a while, I could see he was getting tired."

One of the NYPD's earlier attempts at intervention faced scrutiny. While trying to block his ascent, they knocked out window planes above him - one of which appeared to nearly hit Rogata and he could be seen brushing the broken glass off of his hat.

The officers defended this at the press conference, saying "It was to the side of his, we take all precautions for everyone’s safety." The officer also stated that his supervisor had approved the decision to knock out those specific panes.

There were two inflatable landings below him, one on a terrace several floors down and one all the way on the sidewalk in front of Trump Tower.

A scaffolding unit, typically used by window washers, was commandeered by emergency services. They descended on the south side.

The climber's escapade halted traffic during Manhattan's busy rush hour.

After the window-washers retreated, the daredevil moved towards an area on the 16th floor where police smashed a window open, and communicating with the police.

There was no indications whether the climber wanted to give the building a “cupping” treatment, popular with many Olympic athletes.

The 600-foot, 58-story Trump Tower was built on Fifth Avenue in 1983, quickly becoming a New York City landmark.

While the man's adventure may have come to an end, it will live on in the form of memes.