SYDNEY – A man has been arrested after climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, bringing traffic in Australia’s biggest city to a standstill.

Police closed three citybound lanes of the bridge just after 9am following reports the man got out of a taxi and started climbing.

“Officers from Harbourside Local Area Command attended and located a man, who had climbed a section of the bridge, and refused to come down,” a police statement said.

“A police operation was launched, with the assistance of Police Rescue, police negotiators, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, and the Motorcycle Response Team.”

The man, whose motive was unknown, climbed down about just before 11 am.

He was arrested at the scene and taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for assessment, according to media reports.

– TiVi Tuan-san