Miami's Cubans reacted with rage Tuesday after watching live images of the U.S. Coast Guard hosing freedom-seeking refugees aboard a small wooden boat just off the coast of Surfside, equating the action with that of Fidel Castro's regime.

The blockade, coupled with scenes of the Coast Guard pepper-spraying one refugee in the water and Surfside Police tackling a man who reached shore, evoked feelings of a long-simmering disgust for the fundamental change in U.S. policy to repatriate Cubans.

Impromptu protests broke out in front of the Coast Guard station in Miami Beach, blocking traffic along the MacArthur Causeway, and outside the Surfside Police station. Lively chatter and harsh words were broadcast by radio.

``Today, the Statue of Liberty falls with her arms open wide,'' Ninoska Perez-Castellon said on WQBA 1140-AM.

``When Castro does this, we denounce it as an act against human rights,'' Agustin Tamargo said on WAQI 710-AM radio. ``As a champion of human rights, the United States will have to answer to this in diplomatic circles.''

Stunned Miamians could not believe that the Coast Guard, which had saved many refugees' lives on the high seas, now persistently blocked the refugees' attempts to reach the land of the free.

``I have a lot of respect for the U.S. Coast Guard because they have saved many lives, but what I have seen today is so insulting,'' said Ramon Saul Sanchez, the Democracy Movement founder.

Into the water

Sanchez and numerous protesters surrounded the Coast Guard station in Miami Beach by land, sea and even air. Twelve people dived into the water in solidarity with the captured refugees.

U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart quickly fired off a letter to President Clinton, demanding the release of all the refugees.

Jorge Mas, vice chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation, said his organization is pressuring the federal government to define what constitutes American soil.

The foundation called U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., who contacted the State Department.

``The reports regarding the Cuban refugees and the U.S. Coast Guard's treatment of them off the coast of Florida are deeply disturbing,'' said Torricelli, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. ``No one deserves to be treated with the inhumanity that was allegedly directed toward these refugees.''

Politicians join protest

Many Cuban-American politicians joined the protest, including Miami Mayor Joe Carollo; Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas; Miami-Dade Commissioners Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and Natacha Millan; Miami Commissioners Tomas Regalado, Willy Gort and Joe Sanchez; Sweetwater Mayor Jose ``Pepe'' Diaz; and West Miami Mayor Rebeca Sosa.

Hundreds of other protesters gathered.

``Murderers, murderers, murderers!'' yelled Miguel Concheso, a protester outside the Coast Guard station, who jumped into the water for fear that police were going to arrest him. ``You are not human beings. How many Cubans have you killed playing this game with Fidel?''

Many likened the event to the Cuban government's July 13, 1994, ramming of a tugboat filled with Cubans trying to escape the island. Forty-one people, including some children, died in the sinking.

``It is abuse. It is a crime. You don't treat people like that,'' said German Coto, 58, one of about 30 protesters outside the Surfside Police station.