Navy-Vieques protests

The Navy-Vieques protests is the name given by English-speaking media to a series of protests starting in 1999 on the Puerto Rican island-municipality of Vieques, against the United States Navy and Marine Corps (USMC) use of the island for bombing target practices. The protests led to the U.S. military abandoning of its facilities on the island.

Results / Consequences / Achievements

In 2003 the U.S. military began their moving out of Vieques. On May 1, 2003 at 12:01 AM EST of that day, the official military leave took effect. Part of the past bombing practice grounds became now property of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The remaining part was given to the government of Vieques.

Related Topics:
2003 - May 1 - Natural Resources Conservation Service

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A perhaps unforeseen consequence was skyrocketing unemployment in Vieques after the Navy left.

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Controversies

On April 30, 2003 many supporters of the Cause of Vieques traveled to the island-municipality to held a celebration inside the past bombing practice grounds. The event was recorded by national TV news. On May 1, 2003 at 12:01 AM EST of that day, the crowd entered in mass to the past practice grounds. Unfortunately, their celebration turned aggressive, in contrast to the peaceful protests held by some of them a few months ago.

Related Topics:
April 30 - 2003

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The Police Task force of Puerto Rico was mobilized from the main island, as the Police of Vieques, and other previously mobilized law enforcement officials, were unprepared for the now turned violent celebration.

Related Topics:
Police - Task force

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The Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico President and a leader of the cause were recorded by TV cameras in a violent and destructive behavior. The crowd destroyed a former Navy's guard-house and military trucks with drop hammers.

Related Topics:
Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico - Drop hammer

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The TV records were used as evidence to criminally instill the vandals, as the property destroyed was now owned by the NRCS.

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Those implied said that their behavior was caused by the resentment and bitterness that accumulated for the decades of suffering from the Navy's bombing practices on the island. Norma Burgos, a Senator of Puerto Rico, and formerly imprisoned for tresspassing into the practice grounds several months ago, justified the behavior by comparing it to the fall of Saddam Hussein's statue in the recent invasion of Iraq — in which U.S. soldiers used an Army tank (a property of the U.S. government) to torn it down. Their defense failed, and more than a dozen of the implied were imprisoned for “damages and destruction of public property”.

Related Topics:
Norma Burgos - Saddam Hussein - Invasion of Iraq

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