Police Presence

 

During our stay in Habana Vieja and our trip to the beach, it seemed to me that there were police everywhere, keeping an eye on the Cubans. After I returned from the trip, I found out that there is an ongoing police crackdown on Cubans making contact with tourists. The feeling of police watching everything was palpable. When we were walking with our friends to see the apartment that was for rent, the police stopped them. They asked for their identification papers and wrote their names down, asking them how they knew us, where were we going and what were we going to do there. They eventually let them go without ever speaking a word to Antonio or me.

 

Although we never saw them question anybody who was talking to or drinking and eating with tourists in the bars and restaurants, the feeling was much different in the streets. Conversations with people on the streets would sometimes come to an abrupt end when police were seen walking into the area. This was especially true of female Cubans talking with male tourists. Since my return, I have read accounts from several people who have noted that the police are basically profiling women and black men in certain areas of Havana for this kind of harassment.

 

On our trip to the beach, our table and chairs were close to what looked like a lifeguard tower. After we had been there a few minutes, we saw that the tower was actually an observation post from which police with binoculars and walkie talkies would watch over the Cubans, making sure no escape attempt was made.

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