Inside 'Ring of Steel' around Pope's funeral as Vatican guards wield anti-drone weapons
Pope Francis I is well-protected as he lies in state at the altar of St Peter's Basilica, with Italian and Vatican authorities boasting an arsenal of high-spec weaponry
Snipers, soldiers armed with massive bazooka-like anti- drone guns and security checks akin to a bustling airport have appeared around the Pope 's state resting place as a ring of steel is erected ahead of his funeral.
Pope Francis I died aged 88 on Easter Monday, sparking a period of worldwide mourning that has seen tens of thousands of people descend on Vatican City. They have arrived to pay their respects to the late Pontiff while he lies in state at the altar of St Peter's Basilica, the grand cathedral at the Vatican complex's centre. Italian and local authorities have clubbed together to provide security for those thousands of people and to keep the site safe for the funeral on Saturday, with police and military personnel seen bristling with weapons alongside queues of the faithful.
The latest photos from the scene show members of the Aeronautica Militare, the Italian Air Force, donning sunglasses and standing in St Peter's Square armed with what appear to be assault rifles with three massive bazooka nozzles. The guns, while they cut an imposing figure in the square, are non-lethal and have been deployed to deter would-be drone pilots looking to conduct illegal surveillance.
Otherwise known as Counter-Unmanned Aerial Anti-drone Systems (C-UAS) the Italian ACUS (AMI Counter UAS) conducts electronic warfare via a pack-supplied gun that emits a disruptive signal that prevents drones from broadcasting video feeds and GPS signals.
Members of the public have photographed and attempted to speak with the soldiers on the ground over the last few days, but they have refused to expand on the nature of their operations. People looking up from the camo-clad soldiers stationed on the ground may spot other units - this time composed of masked men in full-black attire.
Carabinieri, Italian police with military duties, have taken up posts on parapets above St Peter's Square where they have set up sniper's nests. The specialist officers have been deployed as part of a massive counter-terror operation as the threat level ahead of the funeral was unofficially raised.
Snpiers will likely be stationed further afield this weekend during the event itself, as the Pope will not be placed in the usual Vatican grottoes underneath St Peter's.
He will be transported via procession from St Peter's once the service is complete to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore - Saint Mary Major - across the River Tiber in central Rome. He will be laid to rest there after the procession takes a winding route through the city's streets.
While details of the required security have not been publicly confirmed, experts believe thousands of police officers - plain-clothed and otherwise - will be spread across the city while the transfer takes place.
At the moment, the notable security presence is vetting anyone who wants to visit the Pope in St Peter's Basilica by making them walk through airport-style security checks. Before they enter, members of the public must pass through both metal detectors and x-ray scanners.
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