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Scores Killed, Hundreds Injured
as Paramilitary Extremists Riot

BOSTON - April 20 - National guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of
recently banned assault weapons were ambushed on April 19th by elements of
a paramilitary extremist faction. 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 links to
the radical right-wing tax protest movement. Gage blamed the extremists for
recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices.

The Governor, who described the group's organizers as "criminals", issued
an executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who has
interfered with the government's efforts to secure law and order. The
military raid on the extremist arsenal followed widespread refusal by the
local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed assault weapons.
Gage issued a ban on military style assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the week.

This decision followed a meeting in early April between government and
military leaders 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 the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their weapons voluntarily."

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. The insurrectionists were apparemtly well-informed of Government plans by the 'moles' they had placed
deep within Government circles.

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 surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units.
Colonel Smith, finding his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.

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.

 

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