Ponce Massacre

Ponce massacre

The events preceding march 21, 1937 (Rio Priedras Massacre) lead to the events on that day. There was a large amount of police officers in Ponce. The officers were armed with: rifles, carbines, Thompson sub-machine guns, tear gas bombs, plus the usual police clubs, etc.. The marchers lined up in rows of three, followed by nurses, behind the nurses were a four member band. The band was playing the national anthem La Borinqueña. The peaceful demonstration quickly hostile when governor-general Blanton Winship took the marchers permit. The permit was taken away shortly before the march was suppose to start. When the protesters insisted on using their right march even though their permit had been taken away. When the protestors started to march police surrounded them on all sides ,and were fired on for 15 minutes.

Twenty-one people were killed that day including a seven yr old girl. 200 other were left wounded. People were chased and beaten by the police, as well as taken from hiding and killed. Many of the wounded testified that they were shoot in the back while running away. None of the marchers died or alive were found with any weapons. News of the events spread all over the island. The colonial forces (the U.S.) meant to send a message to every Puerto Rican. “If they dared to stand against the colonial masters to fight for independence, violent repression would await them.” Later on members of the nationalist party was arrested. They were convicted of attempting to shoot the Governor Winship during a military parade.

References:
http://socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=773