(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.
    The four were holding up placards saying "Stop blessing bull fights" and "Bullfighting is a sin". (ANSA).