CUBAN POLICE VIOLENTLY STOP PROTEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000406

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN POLICE VIOLENTLY STOP PROTEST

REF: HAVANA 397

Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly : For reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Summary: On May 25 former political prisoner Jorge
Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez") led a march in the city of
Placetas, province of Santa Clara, that was to culminate in a
symbolic funeral for Pedro Luis Boitel, a student leader who
died in 1972 as the result of a hunger strike protesting the
Castro regime. Police wielding clubs broke up the march and
detained 25 people. Five others were detained on their way
to the protest. All were released after several hours
without charges, although police threatened two women with
prosecution for resisting arrest. Two protesters were
checked at a hospital for possible head injuries and were
released. End summary
.

2. (SBU) Antunez told POLOFF that on the evening of May 24
people had gathered in his home in Placetas to participate in
a march the next day to mark the anniversary of the death of
Pedro Luis Boitel. Boitel was a student leader who died on
May 25, 1972 after a 53 day hunger strike to protest the
Castro government. Police on May 24 detained five other
persons on their way to the house of Antunez.


3. (SBU) At 4:00 PM on May 25 the group left the home of
Antunez and started a march that was to culminate in a
symbolic funeral for Boitel. Police quickly broke up the
march. According to Antunez the police hit several of the
protesters with clubs. Police held the 25 marchers in
various police stations for several hours, eventually
releasing them all without charges. Antunez was released
after four hours.


4. (SBU) While Antunez was being detained, a mob organized
by the local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution
surrounded Antunez's house. At this time, Antunez's wife,
Iris Perez Aguilera, was home alone. The crowd threw stones
at the house, attempted to break a window to enter and walked
on the roof.


5. (SBU) Police stayed on guard outside the homes of three
of the five that they had detained the previous evening until
about 5:00 PM on May 25, and prevented them from leaving.
Police held two women from this group, Idania Yanes Contreras
and Yestmy Elena Mena Zurbano, until 7:00 PM on May 25.
Police told these two women that they would face charges for
disobeying police orders and resisting arrest. These women
were the only ones in the group threatened with prosecution.
Two protesters, Alejandro Gabriel Martinez Martinez and Amado
Ruiz Moreno went to local hospitals and were put under
observation for head injuries caused by being clubbed by the
police. Both have been released. Although Martinez had
indications of head trauma, he did not have a fractured skull
as has appeared in some media reports.


6. (SBU) On the same day, May 25, several members of Ladies
in White ("Damas de Blanco"),an organization of relatives
and supporters of political prisoners, participated in a mass
for Boitel at the church of Our Lady of Carmen in Havana.
This activity took place without incident.


7. (C) Comment: Antunez boldly organized the Boitel
commemorative march although he was one of the targets of a
massive media campaign orchestrated by the GOC against the
Cuban dissident community and USINT (See reftel). The GOC
presented a document purportedly signed by Antunez
acknowledging that he received funds from a Florida based
foundations with ties to alleged "terrorist", Santiago
Alvarez. Antunez is one of the few dissidents who
continually takes risks by organizing sizable street
protests. While several members of Cuban civil society fear
a new wave of repression, it is clear that nothing short of
being sent back to prison will deter Antunez.

PARMLY