Occasional photos… the “Protestodrome” in Havana

Officially the “Jose Martí Anti-Imperialist Bandstand” — called the “Protestodrome” — in front of the United States Interest Section on the Malecon in Havana. The red letters, barely visible, are the USIS “ticker” reporting news supposedly blocked by the official Cuban media. This particular evening the ticker, put in place by the George W. Bush administration, was informing Cubans that Edmund Hilary had died. The Obama administration dismantled the ticker.
An amazing feature of Havana is a waterfront highway with almost no traffic, day or night. The entertainment was free and, this evening at least, sparsely attended for a city of over 2 million people.
The Protestodrome seen from above. The flagpoles were installed to hide the “ticker.” They flew 138 black flags, symbolizing Cubans who died in violent acts against Cuba.