PRESS RELEASE – BOSTON APRIL 20

National Guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed on April 19^th by elements of a para-military 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 which began in December two years ago.

This radical group is also known as “Tea Party”, leaders of which Gage alleged were behind yesterday’s events. Gage also blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against Internal Revenue offices. The Governor and other governmental leaders, described the group’s organizers as “criminals”. The Governor early this morning 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 a wide-spread refusal by the local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed assault weapons. Gage had issued a ban on military style assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the month. This decision followed a meeting earlier this month between government and military leaders at which the Governor authorized the forcible confiscation of illegal arms. One government official, speaking on conditions of anonymity last night, pointed out that “none of these people would have been killed had the extremists obeyed the laws and turned over their weapons voluntarily.”

In recent weeks, raids by Government troops had earlier succeeded in confiscating a number of large supplies of outlawed weapons and ammunition stored in other locations elsewhere in Massachusetts. However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington and Concord met with resistance from heavily armed extremists who had been tipped off regarding the government’s plans.

During the early morning’s 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. The government forces then moved on to nearby Concord where further attacks were made on them. Before order could be restored, numerous armed citizens from surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat during which the government troops continued to be fired upon by the extremists clear back to the safety of Boston.

Governor Gage has called upon all loyal citizens to support the state/national joint task force in its efforts to restore law and order. The Governor also demanded the surrender and arrest of those responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government troops. Among those wanted are Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock, who have been identified as “ringleaders” of the extremist faction, remain at large at this time.

April 20, 1775