Pope To Be Protected From Arrest On UK Visit

No idea where to post this

The Government has moved to prevent the possibility of an arrest warrant being issued against the Pope during his state visit this autumn. Sky News understands that Whitehall officials have been "seriously concerned" that campaigners would use international criminal rules to try to detain the Pontiff while he is in the UK.

Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC were among those campaigners reported to be looking at the options for bringing a private prosecution in relation to the Pope's alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Sky News

This is wrong...UK government protecting a paedophile protector

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Pockets]

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Pockets]

This is revolting

reply to post by dudez


Too true

Lines

That is horrible... But I don't think the pope can run the church from prison... I don't think the pope robes come in jail house orange. Also come on house arrest for the pope is Vatican.. that just wont work. He should go to jail but I highly doubt that will happen the Church has too much power for that to ever happen.

This is really no surprise ... of course he is going to be protected, he is the POPE and that unfortunately comes with more than a few perks, even if he is a criminal.







[edit on 22-7-2010 by Nurv47]

reply to post by Nurv47

Oh and really this is no surprise ... of course he is going to be protected, he is the POPE and that comes with more than a few perks.

Yes, but because he's the pope doesn't mean he shouldn't be punished for horrible and sick crimes such as these.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Rising Against]

reply to post by Nurv47


I gave a source in the original post

reply to post by Pockets


Yeah I started that post before there was one linked, sorry .

reply to post by Nurv47


Ok...sorry....yeah I forgot to link when I fist posted but edited to add it

reply to post by Rising Against


I agree 100% ... but sometimes that's just the way the world is and sadly there isn't much we can do about it.

reply to post by Nurv47


That's fair enough but I still think this is surprising news tbh, I mean they are helping a 'pedophile protector' here which is just sick and immoral.

Sure, people would be upset if he was arrested, or if someone even attempted to do so but it's what he deserves.

It's just really frustrating for me to think some people are put away for crimes they didn’t commit and then there are people who commit one and they’re not punished for it simple because of the powerful position they hold.

but sometimes that's just the way the world is and sadly there isn't much we can do about it.

I agree, but we shouldn't be happy or quiet about it until it isn't the way the world is.

Just my 2 cents ofc.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Rising Against]

The whole world should be going nuts about this....a Nazi Pope protecting paedophiles...makes me feel sick....and disgusted to be English


[edit on 22-7-2010 by Pockets]

Why would the government even have to do this? Isn't the Pope considered a foreign head of state? Don't they all have de facto diplomatic immunity from prosecution?

Even if he was charged, he can only be tried in the Catholic legal system (Vatican) no?

I thought the church relies heavily on the fact that they reserve the right to try the clergy, and I don't know about the UK but most countries seem to 'lean' towards letting them handle those affairs.

[edit on 22-7-2010 by Maxmars]

They wont let him get jailed because he is the POPE (even if he has a stupid pope hat ). But I fully agree he shouldnt be allowed to get away with this, if there is a God, he wont let him get away with it, and he will be puinished. There would be such a huge up roar if they did get to go through with it, a crazy huge fire storm would be created from this happening.

Originally posted by Maxmars
Why would the government even have to do this? Isn't the Pope considered a foreign head of state? Don't they all have de facto diplomatic immunity from prosecution?

Originally posted by Pocketsa Nazi Pope protecting paedophiles

Quite right, on an official state visit he would enjoy diplomatic immunity. Not that he needs it, however; I don't subscribe to the idea that being German makes you a Nazi or having employees that are criminals makes you responsible for their actions. I'm not religious however I do appreciate the cultural and historical significance of the Papacy and the truth is the Catholic Church still has a lot of political capital. I like to adhere to the phrase salute the uniform not the person. Arresting the Pope or even letting someone get close and attempt it would be political suicide for the country. That’s a fact and has been for the past 1500 years

[edit on 22/7/10 by Jon Quinn]

reply to post by Jon Quinn

I don't subscribe to the idea that being German makes you a Nazi

no but he was in the Hitler youth...that makes you a Nazi in my book

Im sorry to be a naysayer here - but during the visit of the Pope to the UK he is the de-facto ruler of a country.

The Vatican City or Holy See is a defined city state and the Pope would I suggest be accorded Diplomatic Immunity.

Whilst I would not defend the atrocities cited - people who have committed far worse have visited many countries in this world with full diplomatic immunity.

Dawkins et al are using the ruse as a publicity stunt - and that's all - if you don't think this is true - concern yourself s more with the amount of money the British Tax payer is shelling out to Protect the man during his visit.

reply to post by Pockets


Chances are that if you were born in Germany at the same time to family similar to the popes you would have been part of the Hitler Youth. I regret going to a certain school when I was younger; my parents decided for me, I was a child and had little say in the matter. The pope is not a nazi.

I don’t think you can blame an innocent child for being born into a country that attempts to brainwash them.


[edit on 22/7/10 by Jon Quinn]


[edit on 22/7/10 by Jon Quinn]

reply to post by Maxmars


That's what I was thinking. As the head of a sovereign nation the Pontiff should be immune to arrest. Well, at least as long as Vatican City is a recognized country in whatever country el Papa is traveling in.

Diplomatic Immunity is based on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Pretty much as long as Benny 16 doesn't break any law while he is in the UK he's golden and as far as I know abetting a law-breaker/pedophilia is not a war crime (at least in this instance) so the UN couldn't even really get involved. The worst that the UK (government) could do is deny entry or expell the Vatican entourage from the UK.

Of course there are exceptions to the Vienna Convention, mostly Arab countries denying the existence of Isreal (diplomatically).

--Apex

From what I've know, and I've heard both sides of the story, the pope is obviously innocent, and it's the Catholic-hating mainstream-media that mentions the pope covering up the abuse. The current pope would be innocent in court. It would be a waste of time and money to even bring him to court. . . although there would be CHEERS all over the world if the pope was arrested, probably the most hated man in the world right now, for some reason.

Think about it. The same people who hate Catholicism (because of child abuse cover-up? or whatever reason..) also support countries like Iran, where little boys are raped in prison by the guards, little girls are stoned for being raped, people are tortured and killed for changing their religion, etc, etc..

Anyways, the UK is one place I would never go to. Geert Wilders was banned from the country for quoting the Koran. True story.