Chilly winds, rain and drizzle did not stop approximately 5,000+ supporters of the "Ladies in White" (Damas de Blanco) movement in Cuba from descending onto Bergenline Avenue today from the tri-State area in a show of solidarity with those brave women in Cuba who have risked it all to silently protest the imprisonment and inhumane treatment of political prisoners in Cuba.

The "Ladies in White" (Damas de Blanco) is an opposition movement in Cuba consisting of wives and other female relatives of jailed dissidents. The women protest the unjust imprisonments by attending church each Sunday wearing white dresses and then silently walking through the streets of Cuba dressed in white clothing. The color white is chosen to symbolize peace.

The movement received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament in 2005.

Despite harrassment, beatings and detention, these brave women in Cuba continue to march each Sunday in silent protest... until the Castro regime releases every single political prisoner in Cuba.

There is now an international effort to nominate the "Ladies in White" (Damas de Blanco) for the Nobel Peace prize, in recognition of their peaceful struggle.

This march started on 59th Street and Bergenline Avenue, in West New York, New Jersey and continued south for 20 blocks, ending at the Jose Marti Memorial Park in Union City, where hundreds more were gathered and waiting to hear U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat from New Jersey) speak about international efforts now underway to pressure the Castro government to release its political prisoners and grant the Cuban people basic human rights.

Senator Menendez also participated in the march.