15 June 2002 - picket of US embassy in London: Free the Miami 5

Members and supporters of Rock around the Blockade and the Revolutionary Communist Group, along with the Communist League and other people who had heard about the event, picketed the US embassy in Grosvenor Square in London to demand the release of the Miami 5. The picket was lively and noisy and got the message across loud and clear: that the USA are the terrorists, that the Miami 5 are innocent and the US blockade of Cuba should be lifted immediately.

This message was elaborated on by a series of inspiring speeches, contributions and messages of solidarity which gave the picketers the background to the Miami 5 case, the Boycott Bacardi campaign, Bacardi's link to the Cuban American National Foundation and the anti-Cuban lobby in the US. The Rock around the Blockade speakers leading the chants pointed out how important it is for us to draw attention to the case of the Miami 5 so that they become household names and so that the five heroes of the Revolution know that all around the world people are demonstrating for their release.

As the speaker from the Revolutionary Communist Group said, the struggle that Cuba is engaged in is the struggle for the future of humanity, the struggle for socialism and that is why the imperialist powers want to see Cuba destroyed. The Cuban revolution represents something so powerful for the majority of the people that it is a threat to the imperialists who are prepared to go as far as to stage a coup in Venezuela to get rid of a president who holds the people's welfare as central to policies.

The speaker from the editorial board of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! pointed out the barriers that surround the US embassy, and suggested that the time is not far when we will be demonstrating behind barbed wire. Fascism has many faces and it is stalking Westminster and the Pentagon. The US army is stationed in over 80 countries of the world while Cuban doctors are working in over 80 countries of the world. Who then, the speaker asked, are on the side of life and who on the side of death? It is clear that the Cuban Revolution represents life and a future and that is what the Miami 5 are fighting for.

Rock around the Blockade has had the honour of receiving letters from two of the Miami 5 which were read out to loud applause. Gerardo Hernandez wrote that 'your solidarity gives us an incredible strength and spirit...I am going to remember your courage every day... Hasta la victoria siempre' and Fernando Gonzalez said 'I truly appreciate all you do for us and for Cuba. I also appreciate your kind words regarding our attitude and your commitment in the struggle for our release. I am aware that we have many friends in England who are working hard in spreading the word about our case and doing everything they can to put an end to the injustice done not only to us five but to the Cuban people'.

A message from a ten year old pioneer in Cuba, Gabriella Castellanos was read out: 'the Cuban pioneers send this message to everyone in England who has joined with the just fight to return our five compatriots who find themselves unjustly imprisoned by the empire - they should be released to us because they are part of our country and our socialist rebellion...they were fighting the US blockade, they wanted peace...Please fight that they come back.'

Finally, Rock around the Blockade groups around the country who could not be present at the picket itself sent messages of solidarity. From the Midlands, they said '...The Palestinian people are bravely defying the murderous forces of the Zionist terror state and their imperialist paymasters. The Miami 5, like the whole Cuban people, have stood toe to toe with the empire for over 40 years, and never given an inch. Cuba and the five heroes stand as a beacon of hope that imperialism can be defeated, that the working people of the world will one day smash capitalism and build a better world, a socialist world.'

From Scotland, Rock around the Blockade said '...their freedom will come about through a true fight for justice and truth at every level. We salute our comrades in the US through the National Committee to Free the Five, who like us have campaigned in support of the Five actively on the streets... Today in Scotland we will be in the city of Edinburgh campaigning in support of the Miami 5 and support of the Cuban Revolution. The glaring injustice of the Five demands that we do all that we can to secure their freedom... Victory to all those who struggle against imperialism.'

We finished the picket with chants and slogans and announcements of forthcoming events. One announcement is that Satpal Ram, a victim of miscarriage of justice in Britain who has served over 15 years in goal for defending himself against racist attackers, may go free in the very near future. He has campaigned tirelessly for justice and against racism and has spent many years of his sentence in solitary confinement for maintaining his innocence and refusing to be crushed by the racist prison system.

We will be back in two weeks on 29 June 4-6pm outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square in London. Each time we return we will be bigger and stronger. Join us on the picket and get active to Free the Miami 5.

For more information on the five, visit Rock around the Blockade's new website www.ratb.org.uk and the International Action Center and e-mail us at  office@ratb.org.uk to get involved in the campaign.

It is also important to write to the five Cubans, not just to let them know that they have not been forgotten and raise their morale, but also to lower the morale of their imperialist gaolers by reminding them that they are not going unnoticed by the rest of the world. Here are their NEW addresses:

René González
Reg. #58738-004
F.C.I. McKean
P.O. Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701

Gerardo Hernandez
#58739-004
U.S. Penitentiary-Lompoc
3901 Klein Blvd.
Lompoc, CA 93436

(For RAMÓN LABAÑINO)
Write to: Luís Medina
#58734-004
U.S.P. Beaumont
P.O. Box 26030
Beaumont TX 77720-6035

(For FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ)
Write to: Rubén Campa
#58733-004
F.C.I. Oxford
P.O. Box 1000
Oxford WI 53952-0505

Antonio Guerrero
#58741-004
U.S.P. Florence
P.O. Box 7500
Florence CO 81226

Free the Miami 5, Heroes of the Revolution in imperialist prisons!