VATICAN CITY — An Italian man gave up his protest atop the St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday evening, after more than 24 hours perched on the 130-meter-high (426-foot) dome to demonstrate against government reforms.
Two firefighters helped pull Marcello De Finizio inside the basilica a full day after he had eluded Vatican security to scale the dome and unfurl a banner reading: “Help! Enough Monti!” — referring to President Mario Monti, the architect of Italy’s economic reforms.
