War
Against All Puerto Ricans by Nelson Denis, 2015, Excerpts
Police Chief Riggs, stated in
several major newspapers that he was ready to wage “war to the death against
all Puerto Ricans.” As he returned home, two young men approached him, shot and
killed him.
After the assassination of
Police Chief Riggs, General Winship unleashed a reign of terror across the
island. He hired more Insular Police and instructed them to raid Nationalist
homes and offices and to arrest Nationalist throughout the island. Albizu
received death threats, he posted a round-the-clock guard and repelled four
assaults by police and FBI agents.
Officers with blackjacks, tear
gas, rifles, and Thompson submachine guns barricaded entire sections of San
Juan. He prohibited all public demonstrations, including speeches at funerals.
At his discretion and without notice, Winship would declare martial law in
random areas; the police would lay siege to those areas, conduct warrantless
searches, break into people’s homes, and prevent other residents form entering
or leaving the zone. He established the complete militarization of Puerto Rico with
a police state that could control the population.
Albizu and six Nationalists
were convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the US government. The jury delivered
its verdict: ten years’ imprisonment for Albizu. Albizu was jailed in La
Princesa prison in San Juan.
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