An American tourist who demanded to see the Pope on Thursday has been accused of damaging two priceless artifacts after his request was denied.
- The incident occurred around lunchtime in the Vatican's Museo Chiaramonti, which contains more than 1,000 ancient statues and "the finest collection of Roman portraits" in the world, Vatican officials say. The unidentified American demanded to see the Pope -- and when he was told he couldn't, he became angry and hurled a 2,000-year-old Roman bust to the floor, according to Italian authorities. When Vatican guards began to chase him, the man fled -- and accidentally knocked over a second bust on his way out, officials say.
- "The two busts have been damaged, but not particularly badly," says Vatican spokesman Matteo Alessandrini. "One lost part of a nose and an ear; the head of the other came off the pedestal." The man was arrested by Italian authorities, who have not released his name or information on the charges they plan on filing against him.