The security contingent protecting Pope Benedict XVI during his Australian visit suffered a scare just hours after the Pontiff's arrival yesterday when a police officer apparently mishandled a weapon and injured himself.
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Police say the male officer, attached to the tactical operations unit, was performing World Youth Day protection duties at the Pope's Kenthurst retreat when he was injured "by an item of his personal operational equipment" about 9.20pm.
"The officer was taken to Westmead Hospital where he was treated for a laceration and fracture to one of his fingers," a police spokesman said.
The Pope's motorcade, which included three ambulances, was last night given a police escort to the Opus Dei Kenthurst Study Centre retreat where he will stay for the next three days after arriving in Sydney yesterday.
A full investigation into the circumstances surrounding last night's injury will be carried out, the police spokesman said.
