Cuban gay rights activists held an unauthorized independent pride parade in Havana on Saturday despite the communist government warning against it and calling it subversive, an unprecedented show of civil society in the one-party state.
More than a hundred Cubans chanting "long live a diverse Cuba" and carrying rainbow flags joyfully marched nearly a kilometer from Havana's Central Park down to the seafront boulevard before being stopped by dozens of security officials.
At least three activists were arrested by plainclothes policemen; others were ordered to disperse because the activity did not have an official permit.