Eva Deschamps / May 23, 2023
A man in his forties, described as having psychological problems, was intercepted. He entered the Vatican at high speed through the St. Anne's Gate shortly after 8:00 pm.
He ignored the various checkpoints of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the gendarmerie and entered the central courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, according to the press service of the Holy See, quoted by the Italian daily La Repubblica and the news agency ANSA.
The Swiss guards fired at the tires of the vehicle, damaging the wing of the car. The car finally stopped inside the Vatican City "and the man got out on his own and was subdued by the gendarmerie", according to the same source. "He was immediately subjected to a medical examination (...) which noted a serious psychophysical alteration" of the driver.
The latter, whose identity was not specified, is incarcerated in a Vatican cell and is at the disposal of the judicial authorities, the statement concluded.
No injuries were reported.