"Spiderman" sparks copycat with N.Y. skyscraper climb

By Marcy Nicholson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The man known as the French "Spiderman" climbed The New York Times building on Thursday to draw attention to global warming, and six hours later another climber did the same thing in what appeared to be a copycat ascent.

Alain Robert, 45, the first man to climb the skyscraper on Thursday, told reporters ahead of the ascent on U.N. World Environment Day his aim was "to raise awareness of global warming since this is one of the main problems for our time."

His manager Julie Cohen said she knew nothing about the second climber.

"I'm mortified, he's absolutely nothing to do with us, this is really upsetting," Cohen told Reuters.

"Alain is going to be really upset by this," she said, adding that while Robert's climbs were not without risk, he was a professional climber trained for such ascents.

Using the lattice work on the facade, Robert climbed without equipment besides chalk for his hands and climbing shoes. He was greeted at the top by police who arrested him.

The second climber too was immediately detained at the top and was driven away by police, watched by crowds who had gathered outside the building. A few cheered as he reached the top and at least one shouted "Jump."

It was not immediately clear if the second man had a particular cause in mind. His ascent at the height of the evening rush hour, drew crowds and was shown live on at least one local TV station.

Four helicopters hovered overhead as he climbed to the top.

The New York Times moved into the 52-story building in midtown Manhattan a year ago. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, its antenna tops out at 1,142 feet.

Robert, who says he suffers from vertigo, has climbed more than 80 skyscrapers and landmarks including Chicago's Sears Tower and Taipei 101 in Taiwan, the tallest building in the world.

His climbs are often illegal, usually without permission and always without rope for protection.

Last year he was jailed for five days in China after he scaled the 88-story Jin Mao Building in Shanghai. He was expelled and banned from China for five years.

(Reporting by Marcy Nicholson, Michelle Nichols, Robert Macmillan; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Vicki Allen)