American tourist demands to see Pope, then smashes two ancient statues in the Vatican

[theophrastus]

but but she’s French!

[jeddak]

I hear the next GTA will have a level where you get to scamper through the Vatican’s priceless ancient statue exhibit and get 300 points for every object you can smash…

[FGD135]

You could have been Pope by now!

[vonbobo]

Maybe they should sell the rest and give the money to the poor?

[KathyPartdeux]

Pope Joan is taken. I’ll need to come up with a new Pope name.

[the_borderer]

It seems like a PSA needs to be made for badly behaved tourists of all nationalities.

Just because some Scandinavian guy carved “Halfdan was here” into the Hagia Sofia, it doesn’t mean that you are allowed to as well. Halfdan is history, you are not.

[Mindysan33]

What about Pope Hildegard?

[Tamsin_Bailey]

@the_borderer

Halfdan is history, you are not.

I will be once I finish that carving!

[kschang777]

Thou shall live in infamy!

[the_borderer]

We don’t know the story about why Dan became Halfdan, maybe it’s a warning about vandalising Byzantine buildings?

[Tamsin_Bailey]

Harsh.

[Fef]

[YankInNewZealand]

@KathyPartdeux

I saw the Popemobile when he came to Philly.

I always expect to see a bunch of numbered pingpong balls flying around inside there with the ol’ Pontiff.

At least he wasn’t in a Maserati.

Was he doing 185?

[DukeTrout]

@beschizza

An American tourist smashed one 2000-year-old statue in anger and then another while trying to escape officials pursuing him in The Vatican on Wednesday, where he had demanded to see the Pope and been told he could not.

Needs more yackity-sax.

[robertmckenna]

@euansmith

and the guy wearing it carries it off a treat.

His looks, those clothes, and the look of utter disdain on his face make this seem 100% catwalk model. He totally looks like he’s walking for a big couture house.

[DukeTrout]

@robertmckenna

a big couture house.

I mean, that is one way of describing the Vatican…

[hecep]

@euansmith

Indeed, a man walks down the street in a hat like that, you know he ain’t afeared of nothing.

I think uniform cocked caps go at least as far back as the Habsburg Empire. Surely that was the source used for the Dune mini-series Sardukar (the only costume in the series that did not truly suck. For great uniforms, always look back.)

[hecep]

I imagine a new YT channel: Accidental Sacrifice

[Otherbrother]

@KathyPartdeux

I saw the Popemobile when he came to Philly. He was in it - but not the real draw.

Would have been amusing if the guy attempted an escape in that.

@beschizza

The man was captured and is being held by Vatican police.

I wonder if they’ll also be handling the prosecution there, as a sovereign state? Probably not but it could get interesting.

Who, what, why: What's it like to be a prisoner of the Vatican?

[MerelyGifted]

…and the ex nazi pope wore red Prada shoes.

Typing of footwear…

@hecep

For great uniforms, always look back.

Yes, especially for the boots. Many cavalries had sexy AF boots.