Federal judge rules in favor of Cuban band promoter (in Miami)

[Judi Lynn]

Federal judge rules in favor of Cuban band promoter

Thursday, November 27, 2003


(11-27) 17:36 PST MIAMI (AP) --

A federal judge ruled in favor of a Cuban band promoter who said she was illegally forced to pay more than $36,000 in security fees for a concert that drew thousands of angry protesters.

"This is fantastic news," Debbie Ohanian said Thursday. "I'm still in shock."

In an order issued late Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard wrote that the security fees imposed on Ohanian "resulted in a chilling effect" on her First Amendment rights.

American Civil Liberties Union attorney Beverly Pohl said the city must return the money Ohanian paid for security. The union will also seek reimbursement of attorney's fees, she said. (snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/27/national1908EST0601.DTL

Here's a description of the Cuban "exile" protesters who showed up to harrass people attending the Los Van Van concert. The article leaves out the detail that they ALSO threw D-cell batteries at the concert goers. Ouch.

(snip) It was like a scene from an abortion clinic. The militants showed up half a day early and waited for the glorious moment when they could throw bottles, cans, rocks and baggies full of excrement at the crowd attending the concert.

If Miami’s Cubans wanted attention, they got it. Though they didn’t shut down the show, they managed to create a mini-riot scene and, most importantly, get tons of press. Police in riot gear escorted concert-goers past a screaming crowd, and there were a few arrests. One reporter was injured when a rock hit him in the head.

Before the concert, Miami Mayor Joe Carollo helped feed the frenzy on radio talk shows, lashing out at concert promoter Debbie Ohanian.

“Havana Debbie knows this isn’t about bringing Los Van Van to Miami,” he said. “This is about trying to cause problems in Miami and making Uncle Fidel happy.”

Ohanian counters that the mayor had simply decided to make her life “a living hell,” by trying to block the concert with paperwork and bureaucratic tactics that in the end didn’t hold up.

“Miami is run by politicians,” she says, “one more crooked than the next.” (snip/...)

http://www.elandar.com/back/summer00/stories/story_miamimusic.html


"Loco Joe" Carollo"


Debbie Ohanian

[Judi Lynn]

1. Miami Herald's spin

Posted on Fri, Nov. 28, 2003

CUBAN MUSICIANS
Miami promoter wins suit over concert security costs
Miami loses a lawsuit filed by the promoter who brought the controversial Cuban band Los Van Van to the city in 1999.
BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ
[e-mail]

Saying the required payment had a ''chilling effect'' on free speech, a federal judge has ordered the city of Miami to refund more than $36,000 in concert security costs charged to a controversial band reviled by some in the Cuban exile community.

Four years ago, a Miami Arena appearance by Los Van Van, one of Cuba's most popular musical groups, drew protesters by the hundreds. Although the group's songs are not overtly political, some exiles view the band -- whose name derives from a revolutionary slogan -- as a mouthpiece for Communist leader Fidel Castro.

The night of the concert, tensions between concertgoers and nearby protesters flared, with some protesters heaving rocks, bottles or batteries to go with their chants of ``Communist!'' (snip)

(snip) Ohanian criticized local politicians for expecting her to pay to police demonstrations partially inspired by their calls to action. In the days leading up to Los Van Van's concert, numerous local politicians made the media rounds challenging the group's right to perform. Then-Miami Mayor Joe Carollo called Los Van Van ``the official communist band of Fidel Castro.'' (snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/7365008.htm

[Gman]

2. How long are people going to let a small group of loud mouths

determine not only music, but the entire US policy toward Cuba?

[Mika]

3. Also unmentioned..

Also unmentioned, was that Ms Ohanian's Lexus was blown up by a car bomb in a parking garage in Coconut Grove not long after the Los Van Van concert. It was a classic car bombing.. she tried to start the car, but it wouldn't turn over. the ignition/starter just made a clicking sound as if the battery was almost dead. She got out of the car to get some help.. then.. BOOM. She was almost killed. Miami police confirmed it was an attempted homicide. Its a cold case now.

That is Miami. That is how far the intransigent ex Cubans (aka: exiles) will go in their terror war against Cuban socialism, and against freedom loving Americans.

I'm sure that most DUers have no idea of how really violent and dangerous Miami is. The police behavior at the FTAA is just an example of Batistano-ism (fascism) in Miami. It MUST be confronted and stopped.

[IndianaGreen]

4. It would be called terrorism anywhere else

but since it involves the Miami Mafia, it becomes a cold case.

[dmr]

5. You speak the truth, Mika

During the FTAA, I didn't know how to articulate here in DU the hypocrisy of Miami, the police, county supervisors and politicians. I suppose you have to have some kind of first hand knowledge of how things operate in Miami-Dade County.

The Miami Cubans are given near cart-blanche when it comes to civil disobedience/civil disturbances. If someone is arrested, the charges are dismissed by the judge.

As a former county employee, so many times, I have witnessed Cuban county employees on the county timeclock out protesting, stopping traffic or committing other civil disobedience - none that I know of have ever been reprimanded, nor docked. (I know my administrator was afraid to address it). In the Miami Cuban mind, there is the sense of entitlement. If it were me, that would have qualified as an immediate dismissal.

I'm very happy to hear that Ms Ohanian won her case, though saddly, I'm sure it will endanger her even more.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Unforgiveable, Mika. I knew they hated her, but this is hideous.

People who operated like that in most cities would be thrown so far into the slammer we'd never hear of them again.

Pity it simply becomes a "cold case." That's not the first time, either, by far. (As in the bombing of Emilio Milián, who dared to speak out against the Cuban "exile" violence. He "escaped" while losing both legs.)

It's a MIRACLE Debbie is not dead.

Their "power" needs to be denied them. The very idea they've gone on so long like this is loathesome. Bush's pet "people." Why don't people understand they are the same element the Cubans wanted OUT OF CUBA? For $#%@*&!! shame.