The Spirit of April 19
by MG William Flatt
BREAKING NEWS:
National Guard Ambushed by Para-Military Extremist Faction
BOSTON, April 20 - National guard units seeking to confiscate a massive stockpile of recently banned weapons were ambushed yesterday by members of a right-wing paramilitary militia group armed with state-of-the art military hardware. Military and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash, Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has strong links to the anti-government "patriot" movement. The movement opposes all gun control, taxes, growth of big government, and regulatory agencies. Gov. Tom Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices.
The governor, who described the group's organizers as "terrorists," issued an emergency executive order authorizing the summary arrest and trial of any individual who has interfered with the government's efforts to secure law and order.
The military raid on the outlaw arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by local activists to turn over recently outlawed weapons. Gage issued a ban on private ownership of weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision followed a meeting in early this month between homeland security leaders and military officials, at which the governor authorized the forcible confiscation of illegal arms.
One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that "none of these people would have been killed had they obeyed the law and turned over their illegal weapons voluntarily during the gun amnesty period."
Government troops initially succeeded in confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition. However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met with resistance from heavily-armed extremists who had been tipped off regarding the government's plans.
During a tense standoff in Lexington's town park, National Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the government operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return to their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, which was reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists. Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange.
Ironically, the local citizenry blamed government forces rather than the extremists for the civilian deaths. Before order could be restored, armed citizens from the surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.
Antigovernment sentiment increased sharply after a standoff in Boston five years ago last month, when riot troops were forced to open fire in response to shots fired by an unknown assailant hiding among the demonstrators.
Governor Gage has called upon citizens to support the state national joint task force in its effort to restore law and order. The governor has also demanded the surrender of those responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government troops. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock, who have been identified as "ringleaders" of the extremist faction, remain at large.
-- Compiled from news agency reports
