Fight for the release of Vieques 
Vieques is an island about 8 miles of the southeast coast of Puerto Rico’s main island. The island also known as la isla nena, is named after a taino word meaning little girl island. The tainos pronounced it bieques. It became politically tied to Puerto Rico in 1854. In 1941 the U.S. Navy came to Vieques taking 4/5Th's of the island. The island was used for artillery, war games, and target practice with live ammo. This is why this island is known for having high toxic pollution. In 1999 the U.S. Navy admitted to having used radioactive uranium shells. The people on the island blame the high cancer rate on the Navy. The cancer rate on Vieques is 26 percent high then the rest of Puerto Rico.
Vieques had a large group, and verity of protesters. The Protests themselves have their own amount of activism. Reverend Al Sharpton was arrested for civil disobedient act in Vieques. Reverend Sharpton was giving a 90 day sentence. The Judge gave the sentence, because Reverend Sharpton had a record. On May 5, 2000 during a Yankees vs. Orioles game at Yankee Stadium. During the fifth inning seven Vieques protesters ran onto the field. The ran onto the field with Puerto Rican flags, and signs that read. “U.S. Navy out of Vieques”.
May, 2003 the Naval base closes down. The people of the island pay the price. The Roosevelt base was closed. The base had given 1,200 locals jobs. The base had also put $300 million a year Vieques’s economy.
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