Round-up of homosexuals around Havana’s Capitol
Noticias/Cuba_Redada contra homosexuales en la zona del Capitolio
Havana, Cuba, February 9, (Aliomar Janjaque Chivaz,
Cubanet/index) - 15 young homosexual were arrested by the police on Tuesday night outside of Havana’s Capitol. The arrests were part of a major raid against gays, bisexuals and transvestites who gather at the Prado Street, opposite the Capitol.
Yudisvel Santos, a student of Library Science, said that members of the LGBT community in Havana gather in the street for not having other premises in which to do so.
Santos, 21 years old and militant of the Union of Young Communists (UJC), explained that in the raid, carried out by police from the nearby Dragones station, the police also used plainclothes officers who mingled with the groups, posing as homosexuals to prevent the escaped of the young men.
“The police persecutes and arrest homosexuals, accusing them of social dangerousness by being prone to prostitution”, said Julian Sanchidrian, 19 years old Emo, who added, “This happens everywhere in the city, especially in Central Park, “el Curita” (young priest) park, Fraternity park, Virgin of the Road park and in the Vedado neiborghood.”
The arrested youngsters were released early on Wednesday after being fined. Acts of warning were filed against them for alleged acts of prostitution and were warned not to gather at the Capitol area, a recognized space as a meeting of the gay community by the National Center for Sex Education, led by Dr. Mariela Castro Espin, daughter of the current headman of the Republic of Cuba, which promotes tolerance towards sexual diversity.