Participants distributed flyers that explained the facts behind the government’s charges against the Five and described the prosecution’s conduct during the trial. The action coincided with oral arguments in Atlanta, part of the appeal process. It was sponsored by the July 26 Coalition, a local Cuba solidarity group, and drew participants from several organizations.

The Cuban Five—Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, and René González—have been locked up in U.S. prisons on frame-up charges since 1998. They are Cuban revolutionaries who were in Florida monitoring counterrevolutionary Cuban-American groups that have a history of carrying out violent attacks in Cuba with Washington’s complicity.

Plans are underway for more events in defense of the Five this fall as part of a month of stepped-up action in their defense beginning September 12. Among the activities planned here is a video showing of a meeting last spring to defend the Five and promote Super Power Principles, a book about the frame-up. The meeting featured professor Noam Chomsky. In addition, plans are being made to host a citywide public meeting featuring nationally known figures in the defense effort.

—JOHN HAWKINS