Security stops hug between girl and Pope Francis outside East Harlem school

EAST HARLEM (WABC) -- Security intervened when a young girl and Pope Francis hugged in East Harlem Friday afternoon.

The pope was making his way down a row of cheering school children from Our Lady Queen of Angels School when a student asked for a hug.

Pope Francis gave a small nod and went in for the hug with the girl.

When she embraced the pope, a member of the security detail ripped the girl's arms off of him in a brisk manner.

Pope Francis seemed to laugh it off and just kept smiling as he blessed her with the sign of the cross.

He continued down the line and then headed into the school to meet with some third and fourth grade students selected from four schools in the city.