Security Upped for Cubans at Pan Am Games

Security will be stepped up to shield Cuban athletes from harassment by anti-Castro protesters at the Pan American Games, local organizers and police officials said today.

“Cuba’s going to be here until the 25th of August sharing with the people of Indianapolis,” said Raul Villanueva, Cuba’s vice minister of sports and the president of the Cuban Boxing Federation.

Meanwhile, the Cuban-American group whose activities at the Pan Am opening ceremonies drew a protest from the Cuban delegation promised to tone down its efforts.

Officials of PAX-Indianapolis, the local organizing committee, said Cuban officials were concerned about a skirmish between protesters and the Cuban delegation at a Sunday baseball game and the distribution of cards listing the telephone numbers of police and immigration officials.

Warning From Police

Mark R. Miles, president of PAX-I, said organizers believe that the anti-Castro protesters, “in an attempt to disrupt, stepped over the line. We cherish and respect freedom of speech in this country, but we are disappointed in the conduct.”

Indianapolis Police Chief Paul A. Annee said any repetition of the shoving match at the baseball game “will not be tolerated. We have a much heightened awareness.”

Today, the group that claimed responsibility for passing out cards at the opening ceremonies said it has suspended activities.

“We have decided at this point to stop the distribution,” said Ernesto de la Fe of the Cuban-American National Foundation. “We don’t want to cause Indianapolis any problem.”