Cuba: police remove protestors who occupied parish

March 16, 2012

At the request of the Archdiocese of Havana, police have removed 13 protestors who occupied a parish in central Havana. The protestors had demanded that Pope Benedict present their grievances to the Castro regime.

“Nobody has the right to transform churches into political trenches,” the Archdiocese of Havana said in a statement. “Other groups and other dissidents have been mobilized to take up other churches, but they refused to do so, considering it a disrespectful act towards the Church.”

Stating that the Church “cannot accept attempts to actions that distort the nature of her mission or could threaten the religious freedom of those who visit the churches,” the archdiocese added that “nobody has the right to destroy the spirit of celebration of the faithful Cubans and many other citizens, who wait with joy and hope Pope Benedict XVI’s visit.”

 

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Further information:

• "Nobody has the right to transform churches into political trenches": the Archdiocese of Havana on occupation of the church of Our Lady of Charity (Fides)
• Cuban police remove dissidents from Havana church (AP)