LONDON (Reuters) – Pope Benedict is usually greeted by adulating crowds when he travels in Italy and other Catholic countries but he was treated to a mixed reception in London.
Protesters, many angered by a sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church worldwide, shouted “anti-Christ” and “Pope will go to hell” as the pope drove through the heart of London yesterday in a bullet-proof popemobile.
In an unexpected development, anti-terrorism police arrested six men yesterday on suspicion of preparing an attack against the pope.
However, police reviewed security arrangements after the arrests and decided they remained “appropriate”. The Vatican said the trip would go ahead as planned and that the pope was calm.
Hundreds booed aggressively as he arrived at Westminster Abbey in London’s historic core to celebrate Evening Prayer — one of the religious focal points of his four-day visit to Britain.
Papal supporters at times tried to steal the momentum by chanting “We love you pope” but in most cases were quickly drowned out by boos and whistles.
Waving banners reading “Betrayed”, protesters included activists rallying against child sex abuse allegations as well as Protestants, gays and women rights campaigners.
“To make a papal visit into a state visit is unheard of,” said John Shearer, 74, a Protestant man holding a leaflet reading “Rome’s Betrayal of Christ”.
“We are not a Catholic country,” he said.” Another protester, Robert Stewart from Scotland, shouted: “He is a usurper!”
Vatican City is an internationally recognised sovereign state and the pope has the status of a monarch, enabling him to make international visits as a head of state as well as head of the 1.1 billion member Roman Catholic Church.
The visit — the second to Britain by a pope in history — became a sensitive issue in Britain because of the Vatican’s sour relations with Anglicans as well as discontent over the British taxpayer footing part of the bill. Activists were also angry with the pope’s stance on gays and lesbians. With the biggest pocket of anti-Pope sentiment concentrating near Westminster, most other parts of central London appeared calmer, lined with pilgrims and supporters waving yellow-and-white Vatican flags and singing Catholic hymns.
As Benedict waved from inside his popemobile, some in the crowd chanted “Long live the pope” and waved placards reading “Thank you for coming”.
“He is the head of our Church,” said Chris Horre, from south England. “I am very glad to be here. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
