‘Our best brigade yet!’ was the consensus when 14 members of Rock around the Blockade (RATB) and the Revolutionary Communist Group returned from the campaign’s 10th brigade to Cuba in early May. Being exposed to all sectors of Cuban society and many aspects of Cuban life we had the chance to deepen our practical and theoretical knowledge of the socialist Revolution and had daily opportunities to discuss the problems and benefits of the Revolution (for report, see pages 8/9)
On 7 April, RATB held a day of action to demand freedom for the Cuban Five and an end to US occupation of Guantanamo Bay. Lively actions were held in Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and London. As well as public speaking and distributing information about the case of the Five and the achievements of Cuban socialism, in London and Newcastle we used street theatre to expose the hypocrisy of the US’s war on terrorism and its plans for transition to a ‘free’ Cuba. Activists dressed in orange suits, with black hoods and chains to symbolise prison conditions in the US military’s concentration camp in illegally occupied Cuban territory in Guantanamo Bay. The powerful image stopped passers by in their tracks. In Manchester the public queued up to throw wet sponges at one volunteer dressed as Tony Blair.
On 19 May, London RATB jointly organised a solidarity event with the North London Cuba Solidarity Campaign, the Communist League and the Young Socialists. With stalls, banners, speeches and slogans, protesters paraded around the square with placards demanding the immediate release of the Cuban Five, an end to the illegal US blockade and opposing the shameful release in Miami of self-proclaimed terrorist Luis Posada Carilles who is responsible for a campaign of terror against Cuba (see page 9). The demonstration concluded with a march to 10 Downing Street.
By mid-June, brigadistas will have held six brigade report-back meetings about the latest developments in the process of socialist construction in Cuba. Meetings in London and Newcastle on 16 May attracted good turnouts. In London, brigadistas’ reports were accompanied by video footage of interviews taken on the brigade, including one with the brother of Rene Gonzalez, who drew a parallel between the injustice against his brother and the barbarity of the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
This is an important and exciting moment to get involved in our Cuba solidarity work, as we build up to a speaking tour planned for February-March 2008. We will be privileged to be touring Britain with Orlando Borrego, Che’s closest collaborator in the Ministry of Industries in Cuba 1961-1965, and Rogelio Polanco, director of daily youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde. If we can raise enough funds, we will invite another representative of the UJC. It is a wonderful opportunity to participate in these events in the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Our Cuban comrades will address audiences across the country, explaining, debating and discussing. Planning for the speaking tour begins now, so contact us as soon as possible to get involved, suggest a venue (schools, colleges, workplaces, community centres), organise a meeting, set up a branch of RATB, or to help fundraise for this historical event.
Let everyone know – the Cubans are coming!
Events
MANCHESTER
Friday 1 June, 8 till late
Rebel Music fundraising gig, with music from Congo to Wythenshawe
Sofa, Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield
£2.50/donation on door
Sunday 3 June, 2pm
RATB eyewitness report from Cuba
Cross Street Chapel, Central Manchester
email [email protected] or
tel: 07940 961 169
LEEDS
To get involved with RATB in Leeds email [email protected] or tel: 07899 983 131
NEWCASTLE
Saturday 16 June, 12 noon
Free the Cuban 5 street theatre and protest
Grey’s Monument, Newcastle
Email [email protected] or
tel: 07857 323 523
website: www.frfinortheast.co.uk
LONDON
Thursday 7 June, 7pm-2am
Movimientos – RATB eyewitness reports
from Cuba
Salmon and Compass pub, 58 Penton Street, N1
Nearest tube Angel.
Free/donations before 9pm, £3 after.
Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June, midday 9.30pm
Carnival for Cuba, Southwark Park
RATB stall
Phone/email for details of this and other weekend stalls & fundraising events
020 7837 1688
[email protected]
Scotland
GLASGOW
Thursday 31 May, 7-9.30pm
First-hand accounts of Cuban socialism today
George Moore Building, Caledonian University, Glasgow (behind Buchanan bus station)
Thursday 7 June, 7-9.30pm
First-hand accounts of Cuban socialism today
Room 506, Boyd Orr Building, University Avenue, Glasgow University (no 44/44A bus or Hillhead Underground)
Email [email protected]
Check www.ratb.org.uk for updates of events in your area, speeches by Cuban revolutionaries, articles and analysis.
FRFI 197 June / July 2007
