Cuban activists
with the aid of Florida's Unity Coalition organized
the nation's first pride parade on Wednesday.
The group met in
Havana's Don Quixote Park at 10 a.m. and planned on
marching to the Ministry of Justice to deliver a series of
demands, according to Unity.
The participants
were quickly interceded by police officers at the park.
Several citizens were beaten and arrested.
Marchers sought
an apology from the government for its past repression
and incarceration of gay citizens.
Mariela Castro,
Raul Castro's daughter, heads the island's National
Centre for Sex Education. In May she led a public rally
against homophobia that briefly brought gay activists
out of the shadows. Earlier this month Cuban officials
announced they were allowing free sex-change
operations for transsexuals. (The
Advocate)