Cuban dissidents report crackdown on Human Rights Day

[Zorro]

Source: Reuters

Cuban police detained at least six protesters shouting "Freedom!" and "Long live human rights!" in Havana on Thursday and dissidents reported 100 detentions nationwide on U.N. Human Rights Day, when some Cubans call unauthorized demonstrations.

Police and protesters tussled in plain view of journalists as they have each Dec. 10 in recent years. As usual, pro-government counterdemonsrators hurled insults at them as the protesters were shoved into patrol cars and taken away.

The Ladies in White dissident group organized the demonstration at a busy square near the entrance to the popular Coppelia ice cream parlor, but few of its members arrived on the scene. Dissidents report that they are typically detained at home or en route to protests.

The Havana clashes briefly interrupted traffic and led to pushing and shouting, but there were no noticeable injuries.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/cuban-dissidents-report-crackdown-human-rights-day-205327390.html

[Mika]

1. Here's the intersection they were fined (not detained) for blocking.

Was talking to a relative in Havana tonight about this.
LiW were moved from the scene for blocking traffic, not for yelling "freedom" and such preposterous reasons.
The LiW that blocked traffic were put in police cars and taken home, as per usual.
No cuffs. No pepper spray. No billy clubbing to the heads. No shots fired (actually most of the police in Havana are unarmed).
They'll get their $5 - $10 citation for blocking traffic in a day or two.

[flamingdem]

2. Thanks for the eye witness report Mika!

It's amazing how the news changes over the distance .. kind of like a game of telephone.