Young Cubans Defy Police Brutality
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

CAIBARÍEN, Cuba – January 13, 2007 – An entire neighborhood celebrating traditional parrandas infantiles or youth festivals in Caibarién had to band together in self-defense as police brutally tried to disrupt the event.

The street festival, which had been organized by local teenagers and children selling bottles, cardboard, and other scrap materials to build their own parade floats, was violently interrupted by two police patrols at the corner of Maceo and Agramonte streets.

According to Maria de la Caridad Noa, a member of the Peace, Democracy and Freedom National Rafters’ Association, teenagers, children, and women were parading through city streets playing upbeat drum music and riding on trucks and improvised floats when they were attacked.

“When local residents saw the abuses being committed against these teenagers and young people, they spilled out into the street shouting at the police and even tried to overturn the patrol car,” Noa stated.

Tania Maceda Guerra, of the Cuban Independent Journalists’ Cooperative (CPIC) reported that “When the young people received the help of many people in the area the police had to flee. They took three people with them under arrest, but the parade followed them in their cart and truck as far as the police station, forcing the officers to release the detainees without charges.”

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Directorio Democrático Cubano
P.O. Box 110235
Hialeah, Florida 33011
Tel. 305-220-2713
info@directorio.org

In Memory of Mario Manuel de la Peña