Dawn broke on July 3rd with word that large swaths of Center City Philadelphia were to be fenced-in for the Papal visit in September.
Officials constructing fence around center city for @pontifex visit: Sources #popeinPhilly -> http://t.co/HThOa9sO4x pic.twitter.com/3zkhyRQ8YG
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) July 3, 2015
One of their "sources?" The General Manager for Embassy Suites, who, per the broadcast, dished that the secret service spoke with him about building a "thirteen-foot barrier from the door to the street." The NBC10 report continues: "Officials plan to construct an 8-foot tall fence to enclose a more than 4 mile stretch of Center City for Pope Francis' visit in September, multiple sources with knowledge of security plans tell NBC10."
The Twitter-verse immediately lit up with humor and concern in equal measure. You know how these things go.
Get ready for the traffic nightmare! https://t.co/L5d5scxNpA
— Vince Lattanzio (@VinceLattanzio) July 3, 2015
#PopeFence sounds OK, as long as the gates are too small to accommodate cars, and it is permanent. #CityWideCongestionZone
— Phila. Bikes (@philabikes) July 3, 2015
Has to be a joke. #PopeFence http://t.co/gCbLK4uJIG
— Holly Moore (@HollyMoore) July 3, 2015
I have friends... From the wrong side of the fence. #popefence
— FederalDonuts (@FederalDonuts) July 3, 2015
HOLY SHIT! my home town is gonna be occupied by #popefence -essentially center city is held hostage by a religious leader. #occupypope
— m geno (@foodeemike) July 3, 2015
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, #popefence me in.
— joshpincus (@joshpincus) July 3, 2015
@kennethlipp @KatiSipp @Feldie This is pretty awesome. Will there be a inner & outer perimeter based on piousness?
— Mustafa Rashed (@mustafarashed) July 4, 2015
I've seen enough horror movies to know the #popefence is a great way to start a zombie apocalypse.
— brooke (@thewordsisaid) July 3, 2015
@mustafarashed @kennethlipp @Feldie and the Protestants? Camden.
— Kati Sipp (@KatiSipp) July 4, 2015
And through the frenzy, a single voice rang out, asking: "Hello? Earth to NBC 10?"
@NBCPhiladelphia City officials deny this is true. You stand by this report?
— Liz Spikol (@lspikol) July 3, 2015
From NBC10, radio silence. But this from the Mayor's office:
.@PhillyPressSec says report of #popefence is "false:" "Philadelphia officials do not have a plan to construct an 8-foot tall fence,"he says
— Katie Colaneri (@KatieColaneri) July 3, 2015
Ladies and gentlemen, #popefence-gate. The veritable Twitter-tornado that blew through town while the rest of us were just trying to enjoy some fireworks, slam some hot dogs down our gullets, and get a little buzz on.
Will there be a #popefence come September?
"Way too early to speculate as things change almost daily," said Secret Service spokesman Robert Hoback in an e-mail to NewsWorks requesting comment on the NBC10 report.
So there you have it. So far, there has been no updates from NBC 10, and assumedly the only parties who really know what the heck is going down with #popefence or whatever you want to call it are the Secret Service and God. Both equally (and understandably) tight-lipped about the whole shebang.
There are no plans (yet) to build an 8-foot-high fence around Center City to keep Pope Francis from leaving Philly. http://t.co/TWm2xvcfv1
— Adam Bonin (@adambonin) July 3, 2015
· Officials Constructing Fence Around Center City for Pope Francis' Visit: Sources [NBC10]
· The eight-foot fence - and other worries about papal visit [Newsworks]
· Phila. official denies Center City fence for Pope Francis' visit [Newsworks]