Thousands of police for Bush visit to Rome

Thousands of police were on duty today in central Rome ahead of US President George W. Bush’s meetings with the pope and Italian officials.

Dozens of lorries and buses surrounded the Colosseum, the central Piazza Venezia and other historic venues as scores of officers, some in anti-riot gear, poured from the vehicles.

The main boulevard leading to St Peter’s Square and the Vatican was closed to traffic, with police and helicopters guarding the area.

News reports said as many as 10,000 officers would provide security during the day, as anti-globalisation groups and far-left parties planned to stage two separate protests against Bush’s visit in central Rome during the afternoon.

Bush arrived in Rome late Friday and meets Italy’s head of state, President Giorgio Napolitano today before heading to the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI, the first talks between the pontiff and Bush.

He then meets over lunch with Prime Minister Romano Prodi, and ends the day with a private talk with former PM and conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi. The president stays in Rome tonight before going to Albania and Bulgaria.

Schools were closed for the day in Rome to keep traffic to a minimum, and four underground stations near the Vatican and the centre were shut down. Authorities banned private air traffic above the capital, and police closed off to cars entire sections of the city, including the glitzy Via Veneto, where the US Embassy is located.