Their problem isn't necessarily with the Pope himself, but the One Who the Pope is seen as representing. The Pope is who they can get their hands on.
If they could kill Christ, they'd do that instead. Christ is the real object of hatred.
I suspect they’d attack Christ with much more rapidity than they did the Pope, and probably with more furor too.
Your comments are accurate IMO.
Merry Christmas to you. Have a great day. Drop in and say hi later this afternoon.