Cuban Police Beat Catholic Dissidents

Nothing like religious freedom. Oh wait, there is no freedom of any kind in Cuba.

Police beat dissidents in Cuban church: priest

HAVANA (Reuters) - Plainclothes police kicked their way into a Roman Catholic church in eastern Cuba, beat and used pepper spray on a group of dissidents, a priest said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday at the parish of Santa Teresita in Santiago, Cuba's second city, as Father Jose Conrado Rodriguez was dressing before saying evening mass.

"I thought the church was on fire when I heard all the shouting," Rodriguez said in a telephone interview.

The police handcuffed and took away five people who were among two dozen opponents of Cuba's communist government who had marched dressed in black through the streets of Santiago to protest the detention of a fellow dissident, Corado said.

The dissidents arrived at Rodriguez's church to attend mass and mingled with parishioners.

"I told the police they acted like barbarians. They kicked their way into the parish, beating people and spraying gas in their eyes," the priest said.

On a positive note, I'm sure they received free treatment from Cuba's legendary healthcare system.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Cuba declined to comment. The Cuban government had no immediate comment.

Democrat apologists and friends of Fidel were also unavailable for comment.