What’s the big deal?

The BBC seems to be rather taken with the precautions taken during the US presidential inauguration, highlighting the fact that there are "snipers on the roofs" and "manhole covers have been welded shut."

Passing by the thought that, in the PC world of the BBC, they should surely have been referring to "person-hole covers", what is the big deal about "snipers on the roofs"?

From our vantage point on the 11th floor of the EU parliament, we always knew when dignitaries were about to arrive – especially l'escroc Chirac. A group of gendarmes would position themselves up on the roof of the building, setting up their "snipers' rifles".

What point is the BBC trying to make?