Basta! Man Protests Reforms on St. Peter’s Dome
Basta! Man Protests Reforms on St. Peter’s Dome - Houston Chronicle
An Italian man who eluded Vatican security to scale the 130-meter (426-foot) high dome of St. Peter’s Basilica spent a full day Wednesday protesting the economic reforms that Italy has passed to combat its debt crisis.
The man, identified as Marcello De Finizio, the owner of a beach-front concession and restaurant in the northern city of Trieste, climbed up Tuesday evening. He has refused appeals from ministers, who offered to meet with him if he would come down.
In a surreal contrast, Pope Benedict XVI’s regular papal audience — which draws tens of thousands of pilgrims on Wednesdays — went on as scheduled despite the protest taking place on the dome above.
De Finizio put up a banner saying “Help! Enough Monti!” — referring to President Mario Monti, the architect of Italy’s economic reforms.