Church-Ordered Raid Sparks Controversy in Cuba A decision by Cuba's Roman Catholic cardinal to call police in to remove dissidents occupying a church has sparked an uncomfortable debate about the institution's role on this Communist-run island at the worst possible moment: just 10 days ahead of a high-profile visit by Pope Benedict XVI. Cuban opposition leaders who had kept their distance from the 13 little-known protesters holed up in the Church of Charity since Tuesday nonetheless denounced the move by Cardinal Jaime Ortega to oust them, saying Friday it was a black mark for a church that ought to protect human and political rights. The criticism was joined by human rights officials and some exiles, though others acknowledged the dissidents put church leaders in a tough spot. Religious experts noted the eviction of the occupiers was not unprecedented, with police called in just last month to remove protesters from a camp outside St. Paul's cathedral in London, and Occupy Wall Street protesters removed from a church in New York last year. The 13 Cuban dissidents were removed from the church in Central Havana at 9:30 p.m. Thursday by some 60 unarmed officers, who took them to a nearby police station, fingerprinted them and issued a formal warning before sending them home. The church said in a statement that it had secured a promise from the government not to prosecute the dissidents for their action. Fred Calderon, dissident spokesperson, second from left, stands with other dissidents as they speak to the press outside one of their homes after they and other dissidents were evicted from a church they had been occupying for two days demanding that Pope Benedict XVI air a list of grievances during his upcoming trip, in Old Havana, Cuba, Friday, March 16, 2012. Calderon said his group wanted Benedict to speak with authorities about freeing people imprisoned for political crimes, ending intimidation of dissidents, increasing access to information, expanding private property rights, doing away with travel restrictions and establishing a transitional government to end a half-century of Communist rule under Fidel and Raul Castro. The group initially demanded an audience with the pope during his March 26-28 visit, then asked that he mediate a list of demands on their behalf, including establishing a transitional government to end a half-century of Communist rule under Fidel and Raul Castro. The church said the dissidents were evicted peacefully in an operation that took less than 10 minutes, an account verified by local residents interviewed by The Associated Press on Friday, but vehemently disputed by at least one occupier. "The church is lying, " Fred Calderon said in a telephone interview. It wasn't peaceful. They removed us with violence and shoving. The Vatican stood by Ortega in a terse statement from Rome. "We approved of the position of the cardinal and the diocese," said Rev. Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the Holy See. I have nothing else to add. Back in Cuba, many dissidents who had questioned their colleagues' tactics expressed outrage at Ortega's decision, as well as charges by the dissidents that they were denied food for nearly 48 hours. Well-known blogger Yoani Sanchez tweeted that it was "an embarrassing night" for the church. Elizardo Sanchez, a de facto spokesman for the dissidents and proponent of human rights who is no relation to Yoani, said he was stunned by the cardinal's decision: "I thought they were going to look for other alternatives, like dialogue or mediation." Ortega's role has been the subject of intense debate in Cuba. Some praise the 75-year-old cardinal for carving out a space for the church in a Communist country that in the past was openly hostile, and for personally mediating with President Castro in 2010 to secure the release of dozens of political prisoners. Others say Ortega is passive and has grown too close to the government, which considers the dissidents mercenaries and common criminals paid by Washington to stir up trouble. The government had no comment on the raid, but pro-government blogs blamed the dissidents and accused exiles of having a hand in the occupation.