American tourist denied visit with pope, smashed Roman busts in Vatican museums: report

[Stevicus]

American tourist denied visit with pope, smashed Roman busts in Vatican museums: report (msn.com)

An American tourist, disgracing our country with such horrible behavior.

An American tourist on Wednesday threw a tantrum and cracked two Roman busts in the Vatican Museums after officials denied him an audience with Pope Francis.

The unidentified tourist, said to be in his fifties, was in the Chiaramonti Gallery when he requested to visit the pope. When told he could not visit the pope, the tourist grabbed an antique marble bust and threw it on the ground, damaging it.

He then damaged another bust as he ran from museum workers, who tried to apprehend him. The Gendarmerie, who serve as police and security in Vatican City, took the man into custody, Italian outlet Il Messaggero reported.

"The person who pulled down the statues has been arrested by the gendarmes and handed over to Italian authorities," Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said following the incident.

He also said that the busts were "minor works" and that the damage was "not significant" but that the incident was the act of a "deranged person."

"The faces have not suffered great damage, perhaps one of the two specimens have detached a piece of the nose," the spokesman noted, adding that experts will now examine for total damage and immediately work to restore the pieces.

The incident "shocked" the Vatican, which had installed a "complex and sophisticated" video surveillance system to protect the artworks on display.

The Chiaramonti Museum, created under Pope Pius VII Chiaramonti includes more than 1,000 busts, statues and sarcophagi, according to the National Catholic Register.

It seems there was vandalism caused by other Americans in Rome a while back.

Rome has suffered a number of acts of vandalism in recent months, including an American couple who threw their scooters at the Spanish Steps, causing an estimated 25,000 euros in damage, according to La Repubblica.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I wouldn't feel bad if they whomp him with a cane like they did that punk in Singapore years ago.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't feel disgraced by the actions
of one nutty Ameristanian.
The country will weather it easily.

 

[We Never Know]

American tourist denied visit with pope, smashed Roman busts in Vatican museums: report (msn.com)

An American tourist, disgracing our country with such horrible behavior.









It seems there was vandalism caused by other Americans in Rome a while back.

One persons bad behavior doesn't reflect how Americans are. People need to lose that line of thinking.

 

[Vinayaka]

I don't feel disgraced by the actions
of one nutty Ameristanian.
The country will weather it easily.

I wondered why yer IP address had changed to somewheres in Rome.

 

[Revoltingest]

I wondered why yer IP address had changed to somewheres in Rome.

It might be some privacy thing my son installed.
If shame drove me, Italy would not be the place
I'd choose for an improvement. (Did you know
Venice's canals are really an open sewer? Ew.)

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It might be some privacy thing my son installed.
If shame drove me, Italy would not be the place
I'd choose for an improvement. (Did you know
Venice's canals are really an open sewer? Ew.)

Oooh...fun game.
Where would you choose??

 

[lewisnotmiller]

One persons bad behavior doesn't reflect how Americans are. People need to lose that line of thinking.

True.

American tourists are pretty amusing, in my experience. For every loud mouth I've come across, I'm come across some suuuuper polite folks.

 

[AlexanderG]

Was this behavior Christlike, or not? I can't tell.

 

[Estro Felino]

I don't feel disgraced by the actions
of one nutty Ameristanian.
The country will weather it easily.

You mean Italy?
The Vatican is not Italy.
It's another country.
Like Canada and USA. Different countries.

 

[Estro Felino]

It might be some privacy thing my son installed.
If shame drove me, Italy would not be the place
I'd choose for an improvement. (Did you know
Venice's canals are really an open sewer? Ew.)

By the way, Venice is beautiful and its canals are so clean that tourists swim in them.

 

[Father Heathen]

You mean Italy?
The Vatican is not Italy.
It's another country.
Like Canada and USA. Different countries.

No, America. The tourist was American.

 

[Estro Felino]

No, America. The tourist was American.

By the way, the few times I went to the Vatican with my best friend, we went to check out the Swiss Guards...not to talk with the pope...lol...

 

[Father Heathen]

By the way, the few times I went to the Vatican with my best friend, we went to check out the Swiss Guards...not to talk with the pope...lol...

Do they sell foam mitres in the giftshop?

 

[Quagmire]

True.

American tourists are pretty amusing, in my experience. For every loud mouth I've come across, I'm come across some suuuuper polite folks.

Those were actually Canadians, they were just too polite to correct you.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I don't feel disgraced by the actions
of one nutty Ameristanian.
The country will weather it easily.

Really. It's the nuttiness of Christianity itself I think that will take center stage here as the focus.

That man was sent on a mission from god you know.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You mean Italy?
The Vatican is not Italy.
It's another country.
Like Canada and USA. Different countries.

I'd say it's a stretch to call the Vatican a country.

It has no real recognition by the international community, no diplomatic relations with other countries, etc.

The Holy See has those things, but the Holy See doesn't have autonomy over its territory. The Holy See includes the entire Diocese of Rome and mostly covers territory that's undisputably Italian.

 

[ImmortalFlame]

I think I speak for all Europeans when I say: this man is 100% representative of all American people and we should judge all Americans based on his behaviour.

 

[Estro Felino]

I'd say it's a stretch to call the Vatican a country.

It has no real recognition by the international community, no diplomatic relations with other countries, etc.

The Holy See has those things, but the Holy See doesn't have autonomy over its territory. The Holy See includes the entire Diocese of Rome and mostly covers territory that's undisputably Italian.

Being an enclave, it is the country "hosting" the enclave that determines the juridical status of Vatican City.
Our juridical system and our Constitution have stated that Vatican City is an independent and sovereign state, as Italy is. With its own borders.
If other countries do not recognize Vatican City as a sovereign and independent state, it's their own business.
To us Italians Vatican City is a foreign country.
A theocracy and an absolute monarchy are light years away from us, a secular Republic.
Swiss Guards indicate how outdated all that state is.

 

[Stevicus]

One persons bad behavior doesn't reflect how Americans are. People need to lose that line of thinking.

It shouldn't reflect how Americans are, but it often influences how Americans are treated when they go overseas. The "ugly American" and all that. As an American, I wouldn't want to go to a foreign country and face a reception like this:

So, I just wish my fellow countrymen would behave themselves when overseas.