ROME - Ahead of Pope Francis's funeral Saturday, Italy and the Vatican are implementing a massive security plan that includes fighter jets, sniper units, airport-style security checks and a large police presence to manage the arrival of world leaders and hundreds of thousands of expected mourners.
A 24-hour no-fly zone over Rome is already in place. With royals, presidents and hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithful heading to Rome following Pope Francis's death, Italy and the Vatican are rolling out a massive security plan.
Francis's funeral will take place on Saturday and cardinals have already begun arriving from around the world for both the ceremony and the conclave – the secret voting process to elect a new pope. The Argentine's body is meanwhile lying in state in St Peter's Basilica, drawing tens of thousands of mourners.
"We've been on alert since Monday," when the 88-year-old Francis died, said a member of the Swiss Guard, the army responsible for the pope's security, famed for their colourful striped uniforms. "And the next few days are going to be very difficult," the guard, who wanted to remain anonymous, told AFP.
Tourists already faced with numerous construction sites in the Italian capital and famously poor public transportation now find themselves at the heart of a lockdown set to last several weeks. Fighter jets are on stand-by and special police sniper units are deployed on the rooftops of buildings along the Via della Conciliazione, the vast avenue which leads to St. Peter's Square. A 24-hour no-fly zone over Rome is already in place. (france24)
