Pope visit raises Traveller concerns
Birmingham council fears an influx of Travellers looking for places to pitch next month during a visit from the Pope.
Pope Benedict XVI will visit the city on 19 September, the last day of his UK tour, and conduct a mass on Cofton park.
The local press have reported 3,000 Travellers are expected to descend on Birmingham.
The council held a meeting to discuss the issue and while it denied it was earmarking sites to accommodate the convoys it is advising people not to make wasted journeys.
It said anyone attending the mass must have a ‘pilgrim pass’ and all those available had been handed out by the Birmingham diocese through local parish priests.
Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for leisure, sport and culture, said: ‘I understand people’s desire to see the Pope during his visit to Birmingham, but access to the mass will be strictly controlled in the interests of safety and security.
‘We have been advised by the Birmingham diocese that their allocation is now used up, so I would therefore advise anyone without a pilgrim pass to avoid the area.’
Birmingham council warned that together with the police and partner agencies it ‘will use appropriate legislation to address any issues that arise as a result of Travellers occupying land they do not have permission to be on’.
The Pope is also visiting Edinburgh, Glasgow and London in his four day visit to the UK starting on 16 September.
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Readers' comments (4)
Outside Housing | 31/08/2010 2:06 pm
Isn't that an interesting word the local press used, "descend".
They could have said "visit" or "come" to Birmingham but that's not really ominous is it?
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Melvin Bone | 31/08/2010 2:12 pm
I assume they used a crystall ball to assume that 3000 Catholics in caravans will turn up?
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Chris | 31/08/2010 2:18 pm
Couldn't the pope be encouraged to travel with a smaller party, perhaps only a dozen of his most required aides?
I do not recall reading about the stampeding influx of Americans when Bush forced us all to suffer a several mile exclusion zone as a result of his wish for a photo opportunity. In fact, I do not recall any such coverage for any previous visit. Why are the Roma treated so poorly?
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Paine | 31/08/2010 3:09 pm
Er, like this incumbent or not, I think a visiting Pope merits head of state treatment. For the UK to ask him to travel without his "crew" would probably be a diplomatic no-no.
You'll have him pushing a trolley round Asda for turkey twizzlers next.
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