Jostling injures pilgrims waiting for Pope Francis at Quirino Grandstand

An unknown number of pilgrims who had lined up for Pope Francis' Mass at the Quirino Grandstand were injured early Sunday because of the shoving and jostling in the crowd.

 

A 13-year-old boy fainted due to the crush of the crowd at the Maria Orosa Gate, which leads to the grandstand, radio dzBB's Mikko Sicat reported.

 

Manila City Disaster Officer Johnny Yu, meanwhile, said that barricades at the Maria Orosa entrance were toppled by the crowd.

 

Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass at the grandstand Sunday afternoon, after an encounter with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas in the morning.

 

Mga taong nag aabang at nakapila sa orosa cor kalaw ave. para sa misa ni Pope Francis. | via @vonneaquino pic.twitter.com/OxzXkHXSst

— GMA News (@gmanews) January 17, 2015

 

Meanwhile, at the UST, a young girl fainted at Lacson Avenue, dzBB's Benjie Alejandro reported.

 

The size of the crowd on Lacson Street and España Boulevard also continued to grow .

 

6:27AM: Siksikan na sa bahagi ng Lacson, España. | via Benjie Alejandro #BlessedByThePope pic.twitter.com/5ZNd4d2Q9I

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 17, 2015

 

— Joel Locsin/DVM, GMA News