Citta' del Vaticano, 13 March (AKI) -Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said Wednesday he hoped that the Ukranian feminists who attempted to stage a nude protest in St Peter's Square "don't catch a cold".

Lombardi avoided commenting directly on Tuesday's protest by Ukrainian feminist group Femen, during which one woman bared a breast before she was removed by police in unseasonably cold, drizzly weather.

"I just hope they don't catch a cold," was his only remark on the stunt.

The stunt came as world media attention focused on the conclave that began on Tuesday to elect Benedict XVI's successor. Thousands of journalists, pilgrims and tourists have been looking out from St Peter's Square for the plume of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney that signals a new pope has been elected. The first three rounds of secret voting produced black smoke, signalling that the cardinals were still deadlocked.

Three women from Femen attempt to disrupt former premier Silvio Berlusconi last month as he voted in Milan during Italy's general election. The activists pull off their sweaters to bare their breasts and display the slogan - enough of Silvio - written on their bodies in Italian, as Berlusconi entered a polling station.

Via: adnkronos.com

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