Pope Francis forced into helicopter to avoid protests

Photo ~ People burn an effigy of Rio de Janeiro's state Governor Sergio Cabral as atheists and the Anonymous protest group demonstrate against the money spent on the pope's visit, while Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff offers a welcoming ceremony for Pope Francis at the Guanabara Palace, seat of the city's government, in Rio de Janeiro, on July 22, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP

The Pontiff’s plans were changed at the last minute after around 1,500 demonstrators arrived and burned an effigy tied to a lamppost. There were later clashes with police as officers tried to disperse the crowd with six detained and at least three injured.

There had been scenes of chaos as the Pope began his trip through Rio in a modest motorcade after arriving at 4pm local time. Dozens of pilgrims and well-wishers dashed to the open window of his Fiat car to greet the Pope directly.

Security experts said the Pope was left extremely vulnerable during the chaotic scenes when his car was mobbed by hundreds of Brazilians after becoming stuck in traffic in Rio.

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“There was a weak point in the security of the Pope. This has to be evaluated and remedied. If there had been a hooligan among the faithful, he could have thrown a stone or something worse,” Diogenes Dantas, a colonel in the Brazilian army and an expert on security planning for major events, told the Brazilian newspaper O Globo.

Milton Corrêa da Costa, a lieutenant-colonel in the military police, agreed that Francis could easily have been attacked as people thrust their hands into the open window of his silver Fiat – a modestly-sized car that the Pope had specifically requested.