U.S. Consulate picketed again in Vancouver
Dec. 20, 2006
by Noah Fine
 VANCOUVER, BC - From December 12-27 events and protest are taking place around the world to raise the much needed publicity and support for the 5 Cuban Heroes, 5 political prisoners in US jails. These two weeks mark the fifth anniversary of the illegal and unjust trial and sentencing of the Cuban 5 in Miami. In Vancouver as part of the Free the Cuban 5 Committee's activities, for the cause of the 5 heroes, and besides the forum that we had on the case of the Cuban 5 on Dec 12, which was reported on last week, yesterday on Dec. 19 we also had a picket protest in front of the U.S. consulate in Vancouver.
 On December 19, a cold and rainy afternoon in Vancouver over 50 people gathered with outrage at the U.S. Consulate to demand a fair trial and the release of the 5 Cuban Heroes held in U.S. jails.
With long and loud chanting as we picketed the U.S. consulate, people were drawn in from the streets to get information about the Cuban 5.
The first speaker of the day was Andrew Barry, organizer with Victoria Goods for Cuba. Andrew shouted at the U.S. consulate to free the Cuban 5.
After Andrew the crowd burst into a loud and vibrant picket line in front of the consulate shouting, "Justice for the Cuban 5!" "Freedom for the Cuban 5!" as more people came to join the picket.
 Guido Varela, a Chilean activist and long time defender of the Cuban 5, told the crowd that what the Cuban 5 Heroes were fighting for is what all people in Latin America are fighting for, an end to U.S. intervention and terrorism.
Nita Palmer, organizer with the Free the Cuban 5 Committee-Vancouver, spoke about the Cuban 5's fight to protect the many gains Cuba has made in healthcare and education from the attack of terrorists groups in Miami.
Noah Fine, coordinator of the Free the Cuban 5 Committee-Vancouver spoke last, closing the picket by saying, "As our 5 Heroes are stolen from us and illegally kept locked up in prison, we must in the words of Fidel 'Fight and Work' until they are all free."
The Free the Cuban 5 Committee will be organizing monthly pickets at the U.S. consulate in Vancouver in support of the 5 Cuban heroes in U.S. prisons.
Please continue to check back at our website for upcoming actions to Free the 5 Cuban Heroes!
News coverage of the protest
More pictures of this event can be found here. |
