Five men arrested in suspected terror attack during Pope's visit

As Deacon Nick Donnelly said here:


Supporters of Protest the Pope posted a thread yesterday on the Reddit atheism group in which they discussed wanting to commit violent attacks against Pope Benedict during his state visit to the UK. The title of the thread is ‘Protest the Pope’ and it is headed by a link to the Protest the Pope website. The Reddit atheism groups has 81,803 readers.

Contributors to the thread express their sick desire to assassinate Pope Benedict, obscenely comparing him to ‘war criminals who have been executed for less’. They go on to discuss wanting to breaking ‘a few ribs at least’.

Here are excerpts from their ‘Protest the Pope’ thread:

“I apologize for going all serious all of a sudden. I think I need to make it clear that while my appeal for killing the Pope is frivolous, my reason behind that appeal is not.

With his steadfast battle against condoms, the Pope is condemning millions of human beings every year to a painful and inhumane death to AIDS. Women and children, both completely innocent, are dying. War criminals have been executed for less.

Sadly, assassinating the Pope wouldn’t even help. He’d be succeeded by another asshole who would do the same.”

“That idea is very pleasant, but, sadly, it would make the pope (and all other collateral victims) martyrs, only giving more strength to ignorant people. I think some loud booing + some big signs demanding is arrest would be nice to see, for a start =)”

“ [When bargaining, always ask for more so you can settle for what you actually want.] How about just severely beating him? As a follower of Christ, he should appreciate having a few ribs broken, at least.”

Protect the Pope comment: Though this was not a discussion on the Protest the Pope official website, and did not involve organisers of Protest the Pope, they bear moral responsibility for creating a hateful anti-catholic climate that encourages supporters to think that this obscene and illegal discussion is acceptable.

Notice that participants in the thread justify violence against the Holy Father by using some of the false arguments disseminated ad nauseum by Protest the Pope.

These types of comments advocating violence against the Holy Father are common on secularist, atheist, and homosexual websites and networking groups. If violence occurs during the Holy Father’s visit groups such as Protest the Pope, and sections of the media, will be seen as responsible for whipping up this anti-Pope, anti-Catholic hate.

Protest the Pope, and all groups affiliated with it, have a public duty to disassociate themselves from any threats of violence during the Holy Father’s visit made by their supporters.

Offensive anti-Catholic thread here.