Anti-Pope fashion parade held ahead of Australian visit

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australians protesting against Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Sydney took a creative turn on Wednesday, staging an "annoying" fashion show of T-shirts displaying anti-Catholic slogans.

The show, a response to new laws against causing "annoyance" to pilgrims attending Catholic World Youth day next week, came just a day after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called on all Australians to show the Pope respect.

"They are not from Milan," acknowledged Rachel Evans, spokeswoman of the NoToPope group, as T-shirts featuring slogans such as "The Pope is wrong, put a condom on" were displayed outside the New South Wales state parliament.

Other shirts, which are selling for 20 dollars (19 US), read "Pope go homo", "There is no God" and "Does the history of your...