Cuban Dissidents Removed From Catholic Church

Their removal came just two weeks before a visit from the pope

About 13 Cuban citizens who advocated change and occupied a portion of a Cuban church were removed at the request of the Catholic Church Thursday.

The citizens, who requested Internet access, the release of political prisoners, and free speech, had occupied a portion of Our Lady of Charity Catholic Church in the heart of Habana Vieja. They were removed late Thursday night by state security.

“Everything was done in peace OK?” the parish priest said in Spanish.

The decision by the Catholic Church to have the protestors removed has generated concern because it occurred less than two weeks before the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. The protesters felt safe in the church and most were members of the parish.

University of Miami Cuba expert Andy Gomez disagreed with their removal and quoted Pope John Paul II.

“The door of this house, meaning the church, is always open to you. All the more when your communities are in distress,” Gomez finished quoting. “To me, that means churches are sanctuaries. Apparently Cardinal Ortega did not read that particular speech by the pope.”

The Cuban cardinal, Jaime Ortega, had urged the dissidents to leave even though the church protest was quiet and low-key.

“We are going to present a paper to change the government,” one of the occupiers said.

Some of the occupiers wore T-shirts with the word “cambio,” which means change.

There were also citizen detractors who hurled insults at the church.

“Those people are of little education and low culture,” the man said about the church. “They go against the country and the revolution.”

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