Incident occurred in the Chiaramonti sculpture museum.

A visitor the Vatican Museums was detained on Wednesday after throwing two Roman busts to the ground, according to Italian news agency Dire.

The incident took place around midday in the Chiaramonti Gallery which houses about 1,000 sculptures and Roman statues including the famed statue of Augustus found at Prima Porta. 

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The perpetrator of the act, who apparently has mental health problems, was swiftly detained by museum custodians and the Vatican Gendarmerie, reports Dire. He is currently being interrogated.

Rome newspaper Il Messaggero reports that the man is an American tourist who became enraged after being informed that it would not be possible for him to meet Pope Francis.

The statues were reportedly secured to the shelves and were thrown to the ground with force, Agenzia Dire reports, however there appears to be only minor damage to their faces.

Photo Agenzia Dire