(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 8 - A Spanish anti-bullfighting activist
tried to jump onto Pope Francis's cortege heading for Piazza di
Spagna for the Immaculate Conception ceremony feting a statue of
the Virgin Mary but was blocked by security.
The commotion happened during the arrival of the 87-year-old
Argentine pontiff in the central Roman square for the annual
December 8 homage to the statue of the Immaculate Mary.
The Spanish activist, who with three others was demonstrating
against bullfighting and who had already climbed over the
barrier before Piazza di Spagna, attempted to lunge at one of
the cars of the papal motorcade.
The police and gendarmes intervened immediately to block her.
The Pope, after a few moments, was able to resume his route and
began the planned act of veneration to the Virgin normally.
The activists were stopped and arrested.
The activists, one Spanish, two Germans and one English, had
previously carried out a blitz displaying signs against
bullfighting, which was stopped in a few seconds by the
intervention of the police.
The reaction of the 'security system', it is stressed in Police
Headquarters circles, "worked".
The four activists were taken to the offices of the Trevi
district Carabinieri. Their position is being examined. (ANSA).