Pope's UK visit: policing costs could rise to £1.5m

Pope Benedict's four-day tour involves more trips to different sites than any previous state visit, says senior police officer

The pope's tour of Britain next week will require an unprecedented policing operation that could cost as much as £1.5m, senior officers said today.

Meredydd Hughes, the chief constable of South Yorkshire police who is co-ordinating the operation, said no previous state visit had involved so many trips to so many different sites.

Pope Benedict, who is due to arrive in Edinburgh next Thursday, will travel to Glasgow, London and Birmingham over the course of his four-day visit.

As visiting dignitaries seldom venture outside London, said Hughes, the papal itinerary meant that the visit "needed an extra element of co-ordination".

Although he could not put an exact figure on the cost of the policing operation, Hughes said he expected it to total at least £1m.

"There will be changes to plans through the hurlyburly of running operations," Hughes said. "We will know the cost after the event. The total cost is £20m – £11m funded by the church and £9m funded by the state — but we're talking about £1m to £1.5m in policing costs."

Speaking at a briefing by the Association of Chief Police Officers in London, he said that while officers would look after the "safety and dignity" of the pope, they would also protect those wishing to see him and any protesters against his visit too.

"There is no intelligence to suggest any specific group will attack the pope," he said, adding that the last few attacks on the pontiff were by Catholics.

Commander Bob Broadhurst of the Metropolitan police, who will be responsible for the pope's safety, said he was confident that things would run smoothly despite the controversial nature of the visit.

"We are very used to protecting people, be it the pope or the president of the United States," he said. "A key element is getting the blend right and keeping him and his entourage safe."

Broadhurst, who was a junior officer when Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit to the UK 28 years ago, said he did not think as many people would turn out to greet the pope this time.

"The 1982 visit was obviously very busy," he said. "But we're gearing up a policing plan that involves tens of thousands of people. We are anticipating big numbers."

Hughes, who also policed the last papal visit, agreed.

"This is a very different time to '82," he said. "The world has changed and people's willingness to come out has changed."

Hughes said he had been pleased to see talks take place yesterday between the archbishop of Southwark and the leaders of the Protest the Pope movement, which is planning to march through London on 18 September to demonstrate against the visit.

Broadhurst said he expected no more than 2,000 protesters to join the demonstration, and estimated that between 10 and 20 protesters would turn up at the Pope's pastoral events elsewhere.

He pointed out that other events — including a full football programme — were continuing during the visit and the police operation would be "nowhere near the scale of the Notting Hill carnival".

He said that while the police were not anticipating any disorderly protests, "we may at times be protecting the protesters from the faithful if one or two people get hot under the collar".

Broadhurst added: "People get very, very passionate and very, very emotional. Do not underestimate the passion and fervour that this will bring."

Hughes promised a "proportionate response to peaceful, lawful protests", but added: "Once you start throwing eggs, you are committing a criminal act."