Papl visit: Pontiff faces protests over child abuse and gay rights

Published on Friday 17 September 2010 18:51

PROTESTERS with placards gathered outside a number of venues in London attended by the Pope yesterday.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was taking a leading role in the protests, saying it was inappropriate for taxpayers to have to pick up the 12 million bill for the visit. He said the Pope's "harsh and intolerant" views were out of touch with British opinion.

Protests began early when the Pope arrived at Twickenham to see the most substantial demonstration of the day.

Some campaigners were also in central London as the Pope moved on to speak in Westminster Hall and end the day celebrating Evening Prayer at Westminster Abbey.

The centrepiece of the protests is planned for today with the big "Pope-Nope" march through London, from Hyde Park Corner to Downing Street.

The protests have focused on how the Catholic Church had handled the child abuse scandals, the Pope's stance against condoms and the Church's attitudes to the rights of women and gay people.

Mr Tatchell said: "We are appealing to the Pope to open up the Vatican sex abuse files and hand them over to the relevant police forces worldwide. The fact that the Pope is refusing to do so calls into question the sincerity of his apology.

"In fact, he hasn't apologised for his own personal failings. He always apologises for others and we think it is time the Pope himself apologised for his failure to tackle sex abuse in the Church."

Derek Lennard, of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association, said: "I think the Pope, in some of his pronouncements on gays, on women, the things he says about abortion, are extremely hateful.

"I think that they cause great problems and destruction around the world. So, I don't think we should be paying for his visit to this country."

Another protester, Ben Carey, said it was the child abuse scandal that had concerned him most.

Today's Pope-Nope march, which starts in Hyde Park at lunchtime, will be followed by a rally outside Downing Street where speakers will include Mr Tatchell and the scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins.

There will also be speakers from groups including the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, Women Against Fundamentalism and the British Humanist Association.