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On Thursday November 12th, cheering supporters of the 5 Cuban Heroes gathered in front of the U.S. consulate in Downtown Vancouver, BC to demand the U.S. government immediately free the 5 anti-terrorist Cuban Heroes.

Sarah Alwell, Free the Cuban 5 Committee coordinator, Mc’d the picket action announcing that this was the 47th picket action in as many months and that this consistent action was needed in Vancouver and around the world to free the 5.

After a round of excited chanting and picketing, Veteran of the U.S. Civil Right Movement, David Whittlesey spoke about the admitted anti-Cuban terrorist, Luis Posada Carriles, who walks freely in Miami while the 5 Heroes remain in prison having harmed no one.

The next speaker spoke by phone from New York City, Alison Bodine, who was given a two year ban from Canada by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for traveling through the U.S./Canada border with Cuba solidarity and anti-war materials in her car. Alison spoke about activities being organized throughout the U.S. to free the 5.

After Alison, Shakeel Lochan, a local poet and political organizer read a poem he had written about the 5 Heroes which was met by some with cheering chants for the Cuban 5.

The picket line continued again with protesters shouting to the U.S. consulate, “Hey Obama, you will see! The Cuban 5 will be free!”

The last speaker of the picket was Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) organizer, Noah Fine, who spoke about the recent death of Carmen Nordelo Tejera, who is the mother of Gerardo Hernandez, one of the Cuban 5. “The tragedy of this is not Carmen’s death. It is that she died not having been able to embrace her son.”

Finally Sarah rapped up the picket action encouraging all participants to come out to the next monthly protest to free the 5 Cuban Heroes which will take place on December 8th, the day that two of the 5 Cuban Heroes will be re-sentenced in a Miami court.