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CNN Saturday Morning News

Puerto Ricans Protest Bombing on Vieques Island

Aired April 28, 2001 - 09:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JASON CARROLL, CNN ANCHOR: A layman will become the first Puerto Rican to be beatified by the Catholic Church. In honor of that occasion, the Navy says it will suspend controversial bombing exercises on a Puerto Rican island tomorrow.

As CNN's John Zarrella reports, those exercises have touched a nerve with Puerto Ricans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the U.S. Navy's Camp Garcia on Vieques Island, the number of Puerto Rican protesters steadily grew throughout the day. Early on, the demonstrations against the Navy's use of Vieques for military exercises was noisy but peaceful.

But as the crowd surpassed 300, the tone changed. At several points along the fence line, groups of demonstrators broke through. Military police dressed in riot gear moved into action. For more than an hour, the confrontations continued. U.S. military officials said the breaches in security were inconsequential and planned military exercises were completed.

Throughout the day, dummy bombs dropped from planes and fired from destroyers hit targets on the island.

(on camera): The controversy over Vieques Island has become a rallying point for many Puerto Ricans, and it's not just those who live here on the island.

(voice-over): Francis Santiago and Anna Iris Dupont (ph) came over to Vieques by boat from San Juan.

FRANCIS SANTIAGO, PROTESTER: We want to back up people of Vieques, that the people of Vieques don't feel that they are alone. We are with them.

ZARRELLA: For many Puerto Ricans, Vieques has become symbolic of an issue greater than just the presence of the U.S. Navy. It's nationalistic pride and a desire to control their own destiny without the United States's interference.

John Zarrella, CNN, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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