Man armed with a machete at The Louvre

Headline today: "Man armed with machete at the Louvre" really caught my imagination. I have not processed the whole account, but two visions came to mind. First, the Louvre is very busy. It is packed with visitors and most of them are either focused on the art or on the map in their hand. A man swinging a long knife could and would hurt many people. Second, the art in the Louvre is very vulnerable. Like the Prado or London's National Gallery, people need to get close to the art. It is not often behind glass or well protected. A man with a long knife could destroy history and beauty. The photo above is of the courtyard of the Louvre on an early afternoon. It was  warm day and folks were simply looking at this amazing place from the outside.