Man swims across moat to enter Imperial Palace grounds

Another shinobi wannabe that forgot to use his jutsu to walk on water I see. I wonder what are they hoping to gain by infiltrating the palace?

Heavy prison time and fine is the only way people will get the message.

Well, where else is there to cool off?

I'm waiting for the right time to don my fake beaver suit, swim across the moat, scale the wall, and

be the first to surprise the Emperor during his mid-afternoon sake break.

And in 2008, a naked British man was arrested after swimming across the moat and scaling the stone walls in the full view of the public, even tussling with police armed with a stick when they tried to accost him.

That's an understatement. If you want to see a single middle aged naked man scatter an entire squadron's worth of riot shielding carrying cops like pigeons in a park I recommend looking up the footage.

I'm pretty sure it's the incident which inspired the entire Attack On Titan series.

when they tried to accost him.

I think they tried to apprehend him as accost brings with it both aggressive and inappropriate confrontation. But AFP can use whatever verb it desires as this is probably off topic.

I can remember when the Brit swam across the moat. Why do people do this?

Here's an idea to keep the loons at bay:

Fill the moat with sharks with laser beams attached to their heads!

I remember this one!

And in 2008, a naked British man was arrested after swimming across the moat and scaling the stone walls in the full view of the public, even tussling with police armed with a stick when they tried to accost him.

I think the same thing now as I did before; what the heck was the guy thinking? I wonder where he is today...

The moat is already full of swans and swan poop. Ugh! I can't imagine anyone swimming in that filth. Certainly no one in their right mind.

I don't think you would have to 'swim' across that moat. Wading would suffice.

I remember this one!

And in 2008, a naked British man was arrested after swimming across the moat and scaling the stone walls in the full view of the public, even tussling with police armed with a stick when they tried to accost him.

I think the same thing now as I did before; what the heck was the guy thinking? I wonder where he is today

I remember this one too.. Drunken Brit.. I think at one point he was running away from the pursuing Police when he turned around and started running stark bollock naked towards them... at that point the rozzers wanted none of it and scattered in all directions... ha ha ha

He was let of later in the day when he was a little more sober... received a slapped wrist I think... marvellous.

English tourist in their underwear eewww, they dont have any decency or respect !

But who in their right mind would swim the moat in the first place ?

People are getting desperate, they brake the law just to get some rice! It's going to be worse!

Seema like going for a float in the moat is attractive to Japanese and even Brits too.

Even after they nabbed him, that British guy apparently spoke to the cops in "hon hon hon" French or comedy Spanish, I can't remember which.

People swim in the moat for the same reason people climb Everest. Because it’s there. I don’t think Hilary and Tenzing were pissed though.

Boy, postponing the Olympics has got some people desperate for sports.

@marcelito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNKSMknWnF0

I take it those cops in the riot squad were not in the kendo team. The Japanese police team is world championship level. A sloshed bloke with a plastic pole wouldn't last five seconds.

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/naked-spanish-speaking-foreigner-detained-after-swimming-in-imperial-palace-moat

The place seems to attract nutcases.

Bungle:

Fill the moat with large pike and they wouldn't.

Snapping turtles would be nice, too.

What is is about the palace that attracts people dressed only in their undies? Do they know something about the place the rest of us don't?

@ WilliB, or you could have red bellied pirañas too, Oooo, that would be funny.

I remember many years ago seeing a couple of Japanese "tarento" swimming in the pond in St. James Park in London, a royal property beside Buckingham Palace, on a TV show, and it wasn't an "incident" either for the British or the Japanese. A single cop yelled at them to get out, to the laughter of the studio audience, and it didn't look like any arrests were made.

However, when that guy in 2008 took a tip at the Imperial Palace, the Japanese deployed out a sizable riot squad with weapons to collar him, and no one was laughing! (except me)

@ N Knight....thanks for the follow up (did not see it before)....I did not realize the ending - the only thing I remember is the event...

I have to admire the tolerance of Japan for this. In my country of citizenship they would not be nearly as lenient (the guy might end up dead)

Lock him up for life and throw away the key.

As some of the commenters have said, the Brits 'may' be predisposed to exposing themselves in rather ridiculous situations, but has anyone here every attended the annual British heritage garden naked gardener 'sprucing up' event?

Some of the people, some of the time...

a naked British man

That should put most people off their dinner.

So if you swim the moat and enter the grounds in an area which is open to the public, is that OK? . . . . . . Just asking for a friend

Lol, 2 words: electric eels