This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6726441.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Man tries to jump into popemobile Man tries to jump into popemobile
(about 3 hours later)
A man has tried to jump into Benedict XVI's popemobile during his weekly general audience held in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. A German man has tried to jump into Benedict XVI's popemobile during his weekly general audience held in St Peter's Square at the Vatican.
The man was wrestled to the ground by security officers. The 27-year-old man was wrestled to the ground by security officers.
The Pope was not injured and did not appear to notice the incident. He proceeded with the audience as normal. The Pope, himself German, was not injured and did not seem to notice the incident. He proceeded with the audience as normal.
In May 1981, Ali Agca, a Turkish gunman, fired two shots at the then Pope John Paul II as he was driven around the square in his popemobile. In 1981, Benedict's predecessor John Paul II was shot by Turkish gunman Ali Agca as he drove around the square.
The man who tried to jump into the popemobile on Wednesday had been standing among some 35,000 people who were attending the audience.The man who tried to jump into the popemobile on Wednesday had been standing among some 35,000 people who were attending the audience.
He leapt over the metal barriers separating the crowd from the pontiff and landed behind the moving vehicle. He leaped over the metal barriers separating the crowd from the pontiff and landed behind the moving vehicle.
Several security guards grabbed the man, who was wearing a pink T-shirt, black shorts and a baseball cap.Several security guards grabbed the man, who was wearing a pink T-shirt, black shorts and a baseball cap.
He seemed to be trying to climb onto the Pope's vehicle, an open jeep, as the pontiff was driven around the square greeting pilgrims, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.He seemed to be trying to climb onto the Pope's vehicle, an open jeep, as the pontiff was driven around the square greeting pilgrims, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.
The man is now being held by Vatican police. The man was later questioned by Vatican police before being taken to hospital to be assessed in a psychiatric ward.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi described the man as a "mentally unstable".
"His aim was not an attempt on the Pope's life, but to attract attention to himself," Mr Lombardi said.