A tourist who dropped and damaged two statues on display in the Vatican Museums today has been arrested by local authorities in the Vatican.

While the person is being questioned at the police station, the investigation continues.

According to the Ansa agency, the pieces are two ancient busts on display at the Chiaramonti gallery, which brings together nearly a thousand sculptures.

According to the newspaper “Il Messagero”, he is a “middle-aged” man from the United States who had an “outburst of anger” after being told he would not be able to see Pope Francis.

The destroyed pieces were taken to the museums’ own restoration laboratory.

*With information from Ansa