Pope's visit: Scottish police prepare security measures

Police will temporarily close more than 60 bridges to pedestrians to prevent the threat of the pope's convoy being attacked by protesters and avoid safety problems for wellwishers during his visit to Scotland. Benedict XVI, who arrives in Edinburgh on Thursday, will travel in one of the largest official convoys seen in Britain, containing 15 to 16 vehicles for his entourage and security staff. At least 1,600 police officers, backed by armed units, have been drafted in to provide security in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Around four groups of protesters are expected to demonstrate in central Edinburgh and outside the pontiff's Mass at Bellahouston park, Glasgow, which has a significant Protestant presence and is home to Orange Order lodges and flute bands. Police believe there is a very low risk of violence from loyalists, but will close the bridges as a precaution. The assistant chief constable of Lothian and Borders police, Iain Livingston, said there was no specific intelligence to suggest an "overt" threat. The convoy, which will be flanked by police motorcycle outriders, will travel under at least 64 road, railway and foot bridges during the 75-mile route from Edinburgh airport to Holyrood - where Benedict will meet the Queen - before taking the M8 motorway to Bellahouston and then to Glasgow airport. Fiona Taylor, assistant chief constable of Strathclyde police, said: "It will be a rolling closure ... we won't just close bridges for the sake of it." The entourage is expected to be as large as that for the pope's visits to London and Birmingham during his four-day trip. Police will create a large cordon around the convoy along motorways. Demonstrations in Scotland are expected to be peaceful and in smaller numbers than those expected at the Protest the Pope rally being held in London at the weekend. Groups include a small number from the secularist Protest the Pope movement in Edinburgh, while a small Catholic fringe group and one ultra-orthodox Protestant group will demonstrate outside Bellahouston inside a police cordon. It emerged today that the largest protest expected in Edinburgh, led by the former first minister of Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley, was arranged by his Free Presbyterian church without the permission of the police. Paisley's plans only came to light yesterday. Livingston said the force was now making contact with Paisley, adding: "As we speak, we're in the middle of getting that line of communication and engagement. He hadn't spoken to us directly, but that doesn't mean we won't try and speak to him." Paisley, former leader of the Democratic Unionist party, is expecting 60-70 members of his small but hardline Protestant church to protest some distance from Benedict's route at a church where John Knox, the founder of Scottish Protestantism, preached. Chief Superintendent Charlie Common, of Lothian and Borders police, said the force was "very happy" it had reached agreement with organised protesters in Edinburgh to stage demonstrations out of sight of the main St Ninian's Day parade by Catholic schools in the city centre. But he said officers were prepared for more hostile protests, adding: "We're not complacent. We're obviously ready for the unexpected. We do acknowledge that there might be protests from individuals or groups who haven't come forward, who may appear anywhere along the route, and we will react to what we get on the day." Part of the M77 motorway in Glasgow, close to Bellahouston park, will be closed and converted into a temporary car park for the 85,000 worshippers expected at the Mass. Other main roads in both Edinburgh and Glasgow will be closed, with railway stations heavily used. Jim Barton, Transport Scotland's chief roads engineer, said roads and transport across central Scotland would be heavily disrupted, with up to 100,000 people also expected to travel to Edinburgh for the papal visit. "We are therefore calling on people to plan their daily journeys in advance, leaving more time than usual, and consider alternative forms of public transport where they can," he added.