Controversial atheist Professor Richard Dawkins will lead protests against an "apprehensive" Pope during his prayer vigil in London this weekend.Dawkins will speak against Benedict XVI alongside a homosexual Catholic priest, Father Bernard Lynch, at the protest outside Downing Street today.
Earlier in the morning, the Pope will meet UK Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss issues such as the Millennium Development Goals, poverty and justice.
Dawkins said yesterday he had previewed some of what he intends to say in New Humanist magazine: "Mr Ratzinger, as head of the world's second most evil religion you are not welcome. True, your church recently "pardoned" Galileo (four centuries late), and eventually revoked its historic anti-Semitism. But the equally long-established misogyny remains.
"On almost all issues concerned with sex, contraception, population and reproduction your stance is illiberal, inhumane and immoral, and your propaganda claim that condoms don't protect against Aids is scientifically inaccurate and murderously cynical.
''In criminally shielding child-raping priests from justice you have placed the welfare of your church ahead of your victims. Go home to your tinpot Mussolini-concocted principality ."
Sources close to Rome told The Times the Pope was "apprehensive" about the visit to Britain.