Pope's dove of peace has wings clipped

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

When he launched a white dove – a traditional symbol of peace – into the air in St Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI was probably not expecting that the effect would be immediate. And certainly he would not have expected the effect to be conflict.

But that is exactly what happened in the Vatican square yesterday afternoon, as an angry seagull attacked the bird as the Pope looked on.

The dove, released at the end of the Angelus prayer, managed to escape the seagull's clutches and flew away.