Five arrested after protest at Communist party office in Cuba

A small group of protesters broke into a provincial office of the Cuban Communist party in the town of Moron, a little more than 300 miles (500km) east of Havana, and set fire to computers and furniture. The incident also affected a pharmacy and another shop. Videos shared on social media show the protesters ransacking the office, removing documents, equipment and furniture and burning items in the street, while a smaller group threw stones.

The state-run newspaper Invasor said: "What began peacefully, after an exchange with the authorities in the area, degenerated into vandalism against the headquarters of municipal committee of the Communist party," and added that five people had been arrested. Protests are rare in Cuba, but people have recently been banging pots and pans at night to vent frustration over shortages of food and medicine and frequent rolling blackouts that can last up to 15 hours a day.

Cuba, Moron

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