BY JACK WILLEY
CHICAGO - Many people lining the route of the June 28 Puerto Rican Parade in Camden, New Jersey, cheered and clapped for a float building the July 25 national march on Washington, called "to denounce the Centennial of the U.S. invasion and colonization of our nation, Puerto Rico, to reaffirm our right as a nation to a true process of self- determination, [and] to demand the release of the Puerto Rican political prisoners and prisoners of war."

Surrounding the float of prison bars around the large pictures of Puerto Rican political prisoners, supporters handed out posters and leaflets about the march to the crowd.

"People went crazy, joining in with chants of `!Viva la huelga!' [Long live the strike] and `!Viva Puerto Rico Libre!' [Long live free Puerto Rico]" said Luis Sanabria of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Political Prisoners, describing the response at the parade. "At the judging area [for the floats], we told everyone about the march on Washington and called on the officials and other bystanders to join us in singing Puerto Rico's national anthem. Everyone joined in." he said.

The march on Washington was initiated by the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Political Prisoners, which has chapters in several U.S. cities. The national march will be preceded by a 24-hour vigil beginning at noon July 24.

The July 25 demonstration in Washington coincides with other actions the same day on similar themes. This includes a march in New York from Columbus Circle to the United Nations, sponsored by the Comité Puerto Rico '98. An action will take place at the UN Plaza in San Francisco. And in Guánica, Puerto Rico, the Congreso Nacional Hostosiano and the Puerto Rican Independence Party are sponsoring a march and rally.

Some 60 people attended a cultural and fund-raising event at Philadelphia's Painted Bridge Art Center, June 26. The event, titled "Cuba and Puerto Rico are Two Wings of the Same Bird: 100 Years of Struggle Against Colonialism and Imperialism," was co-sponsored by the National Committee and the Cuba Support Coalition. The program included a Puerto Rican band and Latin Wave, a Puerto Rican dance group. Speakers from the two organizations urged people attending to go to the national march in Washington.

The Philadelphia group is holding a public meeting June 30 to discuss building the action in the U.S. capital.

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, activists held a successful fund-raising dinner for the march at Todos los Santos church, June 27. Some 45 people attended the event, which raised more than $300 to help cover travel expenses for the trip.

In Boston the National Committee has called a public planning meeting for July 2. In addition to Boston, organizers report busses are being organized from Worcester, Amherst, and Springfield in Massachusetts, as well as Hartford, Connecticut. On July 11 there will be an event at the Community Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to inform people of the march and get out the word about busses.

Members of Latinos for Social Change, which is building the march to the United Nations July 25, the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Political Prisoners, and others joined a picket line on June 25 in downtown Boston in solidarity with the telephone workers on strike in Puerto Rico.

Comité Puerto Rico '98 is building the United Nations action in New York through picket lines in solidarity with the telephone strikers June 2, 7, and 8 outside Banco Popular, which is involved in the sale. In addition, they are holding a fund-raising dance at Casa de las Américas the evening of June 3.

For more information about the national march on Washington, write to Afirmación Boricua '98, P.O. Box 76360, Washington, D.C. 20013, e-mail at Jornada98@aol.com or see the web site at www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/6098 or call 773-278- 0885.

For more information about the rally at the United Nations, check out the web site at www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/1481 or call 888-509- 2103.

For more information about the action in San Francisco, call 800-431-4818, ext. 126. Outside California, call 510- 893-3131, ext. 126.

Margrethe Siem in Boston, Heather Wood in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Peter Siedman in Philadelphia contributed to this article.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home