Residents of the Lawton neighborhood in the Diez de Octubre municipality of Havana reported to CiberCuba new protests early Thursday morning, amid increasing discontent over the prolonged blackouts affecting the Cuban capital.
According to testimonies received by our editorial team, residents of the neighborhood took to the streets and burned trash at various locations as a form of protest. The police were delayed in arriving at the scene due to an unexpected situation.
"A train stopped and did not allow police cars or fire trucks to pass. They were burning entire streets," a neighbor who witnessed the events told CiberCuba.
The reports indicate that the flames and makeshift blockades hindered traffic in several streets of the neighborhood, while shouts and banging pots could be heard from neighbors frustrated by the ongoing power outages.
The new protest comes after previous demonstrations in Lawton were reported earlier that morning. At least one person was detained during those protests on Tuesday, which led to tense moments when residents attempted to prevent the arrest.
Police patrols and units commonly known as "black berets," a special forces unit of the Ministry of the Interior used in control and repression operations, arrived at the scene.
Seven consecutive nights of protests over blackouts
The protests in Lawton are taking place against a backdrop of growing social unrest in Havana due to the electricity crisis.
During the night of Wednesday, there were also reports of protests with pots and pans in several municipalities of the capital. The population has been protesting against power outages for nearly a week with consecutive demonstrations.
There were protests in Lacret, in the Diez de Octubre municipality, and in Santos Suárez. Cacerolazos were also reported in Guanabacoa; Jesús María, in Old Havana; La Lisa and El Cerro, and in El Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución.
The sound of banging pots and pans has become one of the most visible forms of citizen protest in Cuba during periods of energy crisis, reflecting the growing social discontent over the deterioration of basic services.
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