Man Protests Italian Government Atop the Dome of St. Peter’s at the Vatican

Marcello Di Finizio protesting the Italian government on the dome of St. Peter's basilica in Rome, March 30, 2014. Photo: Andreas Solaro, courtesy Agence France-Presse.

It’s become a routine for Marcello Di Finizio: Visit St. Peter’s basilica in Vatican City, Rome, climb out on the roof of its 449-foot dome, and unfurl a banner protesting the government. Stay out there a few hours, maybe a couple of days, then come back inside to be arrested. Wait a few months for the heat to die down, rinse, and repeat.

You would think they would train security guards to keep an eye out by now, but the Italian businessman has just completed his fourth protest in the heart of the Vatican, this one three days long, the AFP reports.

With a banner reading “Help Us Pope Francis,” Di Finizio protested austerity measures imposed by the Italian government, which he feels are contributing to record levels of unemployment in Italy and the broader economic crisis.


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