You realize that this is the public event for the Pope on his visit. This is Mass which he will not perform anyplace else in the country and the Pope's visits are not guaranteed when and where in the future.

Many are saying the President does not get this, that is because the President makes visits around the country on a regular Basis and is not conducting one of the most Sacred rituals of the Catholic Religion, Mass.

There will be people from all over the country in Philly tomorrow as it is almost a once in the lifetime event for Catholics, so yes this event does need this kind of security.

As a light hearted side, this is Philly guys, where fans attack their own teams, violent flash mobs are common, and crime is a big employer in the city, but Bill Burr did sit em in their place.

http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/06/16/is-philadelphia-underestimating-how-many-will-come-to-see-pope-francis

You mean they brought in extra security for a visit from a controversial head of state?

I'm shocked.

City-state, but more head of nothing.

In 1947, the Lateran Pacts were incorporated into the democratic Constitution of Italy.[1] It recognized the Vatican as an independent state, with Prime Minister Benito Mussolini agreeing to give the church financial support in return for public support from the pope at the time.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateran_Treaty
Relatively recent arrangements regarding the reservation of state and religious secrets.

The place is locked up. There isn't anywhere near this much security for a presidential visit.

It's classified as a National Special Security Event (NSSE), like a super bowl or a national political convention, or the APEC event in Hawaii, so it's happened before. And the military (national guardsmen) are not armed and are providing traffic and pedestrian control. So there's no PC issue here.

I really feel like something is up with this. Are there any photos?

That's some crazy firepower mounted on that dinghy! Does anybody know if that's a retro fit special for the occasion? I see Coast Guard ships patrolling all the time in Boston, but I'm not sure I've ever noticed a huge weapon like that on the bow of one.

Ugh. Weapons like that are almost guaranteed to cause collateral damage. Pardon the pun but IMO it's overkill. A user commented on a different thread that this looks like a convenient event to practice cooperation between agencies during an emergency lock-down. I feel trapped just looking at the photos. When you mentioned long guns, I thought about last week when a state trooper attending a training event in a town nearby me, shot himself in the leg as he moved his shotgun out of his vehicle. This was no rookie either! I'm sorry, but after witnessing thousands of bullets zinging this way and that in Watertown a few years ago, I can't trust any "public safety" officers. It's way too much Boys and their toys for me.

You do realize that this is a huge event with massive logistics involved. Whenever a religious event of this magnitude occurs the govt will pull out all the stops to ensure we are not responsible for getting the pope killed.

I don't see where this ties in with a conspiracy. Calm your nerves

It's all going to kick off tomorrow.

Finally.

What if somebody gets assassinated? WWIII confirmed?