Occupy Wall Street Protester Scales 70-foot Statue

Oct. 22, 2011— -- A 21-year-old Occupy Wall Street demonstrator caused quite the ruckus early this morning, when he scaled a 70-foot sculpture in New York's Zuccotti Park, refusing to come down until Mayor Michael Bloomberg resigned.

Dylan Spoelstra of Canada climbed the park's signature red sculpture around 6 a.m. He sat on a metal platform for three hours, with his feet dangling, as police cleared the surrounding area and tried to talk him down.

Around 9 a.m., Spoelstra was seen descending the sculpture in a police crane, looking jovial, with his arm around the officer who helped him down.

Once on the ground, Spaelstra was placed in handcuffs and transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, according to a police spokesman.

"We call this an aided case when we're dealing with an emotionally disturbed person," the spokesman told ABCNews.com. "We don't know yet whether charges will be brought against him."

The stunt happened just as families with young children were waking up from Occupy Wall Street's first family sleepover in Zuccotti Park, causing many to have to clear the surrounding area for their safety.

"I think he's a little insane really, but he's got, he's trying to make a point, but I don't know what that point is," a bystander told ABC News Radio.

Occupy Wall Street spokesman Bill Dobbs told ABCNews.com that the group had no advance knowledge of Spaelstra's exploit.

"This movement means people take action in different ways. There's certainly respect for different tactics," Dobbs said. "But as you can see, we've been going out very simply marching over the past month."

The giant red statue, which has been called "the red thing" by many protesters in Zuccotti Park, is named "Joie de Vivre," French for "Joy of Life."

After this incident, Dobbs said he wouldn't be surprised if Brookfield Properties, the park's owner, chooses to remove the sculpture, which was created by artist Mark di Suvero.

Demonstrators have been camped out in the park, which is in the financial district of lower Manhattan, since Sept. 17. They have staged numerous marches to other parts of the city, including a demonstration by thousands last weekend in Time Square.

The movement has spawned similar demonstrations in hundreds of towns and cities across the United States and around the world.