Didn’t we just finish talking about Nativity scenes? It would seem that a topless activist from the group FEMEN is in some hot water after causing a scene with the Vatican’s Nativity on Christmas Day. Iana Aleksandrovna Azhdanova stormed the Nativity at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, snatched the Baby Jesus, and attempting to make a statement while police chased her. From The Guardian:
Azhdanova was swiftly arrested by Vatican police after rushing into the square and plucking the baby Jesus from his place while shouting what were described as anti-religious slogans.
A papal spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said the Vatican was deciding whether to try Azhdanova, adding that the religiously hostile nature of her protest “must be regarded as extremely serious due to the setting and circumstances that intentionally offend the religious sentiments of a very large number of people”.
The Vatican – which can either try transgressors on its territory or expel them to Italian courts – is also holding Italian businessman Marcello di Finizio, who was arrested on Friday for scaling the facade of St Peter’s basilica to protest an EU directive.
That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen this holiday season. Not only is the act of a topless lady rushing around with Baby Jesus funny enough, we also have those goofy ass cops chasing her to provide the icing on the cake.
As is hinted, Azhdanova was possibly going to be tried by The Vatican for “disturbing the peace, obscene acts in a public place, and theft,” but was released this morning and extradited away from the papal city. FEMEN released a statement via their Facebook page to update the situation:
This morning the Holy Vatican court reviewed the case of the kidnapping of baby Jesus Christ commited by FEMEN sextremist and recognizing the absolute legality of her arrest, however, it has ordered to release Zhdanova. Sextremist Zhdanova will be extradited from Vatican, followed by a ban on enter the territory of the Holy See. The infant, which have been kidnapped by FEMEN, became a symbol of necessity of taking away a woman’s right on reproductive function and sexual freedom off the Church. A sacred duty of every woman is to take away the child from Vatican!
I guess that’s another open and shut case for the goofy Catholic police. Now maybe they can go back to turning a blind eye to everything their priests do and cursing the sky at every progressive thing The Pope says.
(Via RT / The Guardian / FEMEN)