Man Tries to Jump Into Popemobile

[shrpskn]

Man Tries to Jump Into Popemobile
Wednesday, June 6, 2007 10:14 AM EDT
The Associated Press
By DANIELA PETROFF

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A German man tried to jump into Pope Benedict XVI's uncovered popemobile as the pontiff began his general audience Wednesday and held onto it for a few seconds before being wrestled to the ground by security officers.
The pope was not hurt and didn't even appear to notice that the man — who was between 20 or 30 years old — had jumped over the protective barrier in the square and had grabbed onto the white popemobile as it drove by. The pontiff kept waving to the crowd and didn't even look back.
At least eight security officers who were trailing the vehicle as it moved slowly through the square grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground.
The man was a 27-year-old German who showed signs of "mental imbalance," said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.
"His aim was not an attempt on the pope's life but to attract attention to himself," Lombardi told reporters.
The man, whom Lombardi declined to identify, was interrogated by Vatican police and then taken to a hospital for psyciatric treatment, he said.
The man wore a pink T-shirt and dark shorts, a beige baseball cap and sunglasses. He vaulted up and over the barricade from the second or third row back. He got as far as the back of the jeep, holding onto it for a few seconds, before being wrestled to the ground.
The jeep kept moving, and the German-born Benedict kept waving, then proceeded with the audience as if nothing had happened.
Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Vatican has tightened security in St. Peter's Square when the pope is present. All visitors must pass by police to get into the square, with some walking through metal detectors or being searched with metal- detecting wands.
Nevertheless, virtually anyone can attend the audience. While tickets are required, they can often be obtained at the last minute — particularly in good weather when the audience is held outside in the piazza.
When the pope uses the popemobile in St. Peter's, it is usually uncovered; when he travels overseas or outside the Vatican, he usually uses one outfitted with bulletproof glass.
The pope is protected by a combination of Swiss Guards, Vatican police and Italian police.
On Wednesday, the head of the Swiss Guards, Col. Elmar Maeder, walked along one side of the popemobile while the pontiff's personal bodyguard, Domenico Giani, took the other side. Several plainclothes security officials trailed them.
Benedict stood up behind the driver, holding onto a bar to steady himself, with his personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, seated behind him.
St. Peter's is cordoned off with wooden barriers to create "routes" that the popemobile can drive along to make the pontiff more visible to the crowd, which on Wednesday numbered about 35,000.
From his perch on the jeep, the pope waves and blesses the crowd, and occasionally will bless a baby handed up to him by a security guard. The jeep, though, never stops, with security officials walking or jogging alongside the whole way.
Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, was shot in the a**omen and seriously wounded on May 13, 1981, as he was riding in St. Peter's Square at the start of his general audience. The gunman, Mehmet Ali Agca of Turkey, was caught and served his sentence in Italy before being transferred to his native land.

[kfrost06]

I saw that video, I think it was Tock. Where you been Tock?

[shrpskn]

[gixxerboy1]

The pope mobile is almost as cool as the Oscar Meyer wiener Mobil

[skank]

The pope mobile is almost as cool as the Oscar Meyer wiener Mobil

LOL Thats a good one! Hopefully it is a little more secure.

[juicy_brucy]

The pope mobile is almost as cool as the Oscar Meyer wiener Mobil

I totally agree! I want a popemobile!!!

[Shiftt101]

I seen that.. pretty crazy.. Pope had no idea what was going on behind him

[Kale]

The Seven Dwarfs go to the Vatican , and because they are "the seven dwarfs" they get ushered in to see the Pope. Dopey leads the pack.
"Dopey my son," says the Pope, "what can I do for you?"
Dopey asks, "Excuse me, Your Excellency, but are there any dwarf nuns in Rome ?"

The Pope wrinkles his brow at the odd question, thinks for a moment and
answers, "No Dopey, there are no dwarf nuns in Rome ." In the background a few of the dwarfs begin giggling.

Dopey turns around and gives them a glare, silencing them. Dopey turns back to face the Pope. "Your Worship, are there any dwarf nuns in all of Europe ?"
The Pope, puzzled again, thinks for a moment and then answers, "No Dopey, there are no dwarf nuns in all of Europe ."

This time all the other dwarfs burst into laughter.
Once again, Dopey turns around and silences them all with an angry glare.
Dopey turns back to the Pope and says, "Mr. Pope, are there ANY dwarf
nuns in the whole world?"

The Pope answers, "I'm sorry, my son, there are no dwarf nuns anywhere
in the world."

The other dwarfs collapse into a heap, rolling, and lau***ng, pounding
on the floor, tears rolling down their cheeks as they begin chanting:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
"Dopey screwed a penguin!"
"Dopey screwed a penguin!"

[shrpskn]

Popemobile...

Ima get me a sharpmobile...

[kfrost06]

The Seven Dwarfs go to the Vatican , and because they are "the seven dwarfs" they get ushered in to see the Pope. Dopey leads the pack.
"Dopey my son," says the Pope, "what can I do for you?"
Dopey asks, "Excuse me, Your Excellency, but are there any dwarf nuns in Rome ?"

The Pope wrinkles his brow at the odd question, thinks for a moment and
answers, "No Dopey, there are no dwarf nuns in Rome ." In the background a few of the dwarfs begin giggling.

Dopey turns around and gives them a glare, silencing them. Dopey turns back to face the Pope. "Your Worship, are there any dwarf nuns in all of Europe ?"
The Pope, puzzled again, thinks for a moment and then answers, "No Dopey, there are no dwarf nuns in all of Europe ."

This time all the other dwarfs burst into laughter.
Once again, Dopey turns around and silences them all with an angry glare.
Dopey turns back to the Pope and says, "Mr. Pope, are there ANY dwarf
nuns in the whole world?"

The Pope answers, "I'm sorry, my son, there are no dwarf nuns anywhere
in the world."

The other dwarfs collapse into a heap, rolling, and lau***ng, pounding
on the floor, tears rolling down their cheeks as they begin chanting:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
"Dopey screwed a penguin!"
"Dopey screwed a penguin!"

That was funny! LMAO!

[rubix6]

what a crazy ass

[Flagg]

He literally was crazy. When arrested police stated he was obviously mentally challenged and has since been taken to a psychiatric hospital.

Makes you wonder what a real assassin coulda done.