Feds: No security screening for pope visitors on Ben Franklin Bridge
Visitors crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to see Pope Francis visit Philadelphia will not face screening stations, the U.S. Secret Service announced.
Neither the city of Philadelphia nor the U.S. Secret Service will set up screening stations along the Benjamin Franklin Bridge during Pope Francis' visit next month, the Secret Service announced Friday.
"Visitors to the City of Brotherly Love will NOT see magnetometers waiting for them on the bridge, nor will they see Secret Service or city of Philadelphia 'screening stations,' " spokesman Robert Hoback said in a statement.
The bridge will be closed to all vehicles except trains the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27, with three lanes open for pedestrians to cross.
Papal visitors can expect to see a law enforcement presence on the bridge to assure travelers' safety, Hoback said, and the Secret Service will publish a list of prohibited items when information is finalized. That list will apply only to those planning to access specific papal venues in Center City, he said.
Security plans will be shared with the public as soon as they are finalized, according to the statement, which went on to blast "speculative reporting from anonymous law enforcement officials and others on the security of this event."
"It cannot be stressed enough that all parties involved in the planning for the Holy Father's arrival have a great working partnership across the board and are committed to the secure and timely release of information," the statement concluded.