25 Charged With Trespassing on Puerto Rican Bomb Range

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —  Twenty-five protesters were charged with trespassing at the Navy bombing range on Puerto Rico’s Vieques Island and released without bail Monday to cheers from dozens of supporters.

“Navy Get Out! Navy Get Out!” dozens of protesters chanted outside the federal courthouse.

The 25 were among 55 protesters who cut through a fence to slip into the training ground Saturday night. The rest were released on Sunday and face similar charges, including former light heavyweight boxing champion Jose Torres.

U.S. marshals on May 4 cleared 216 protesters from camps on the range. Activists have been trying to force the Navy to leave Vieques and have vowed to continue entering Navy land.

Under an executive order by President Clinton, trespassers at Vieques can face more serious penalties: up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Several protesters, including Graciani Miranda Marchand, a former president of the Puerto Rico Bar Assn., told the magistrate they didn’t recognize the U.S. court’s jurisdiction in Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth.

“It’s the first time I’ve had a record, but I am proud of what I did,” said Emma Nieves, a 52-year-old Vieques resident. “I didn’t trespass anywhere. I entered my own land.”

After months of negotiations with Gov. Pedro Rossello, Clinton agreed last year to order the Navy out by May 2003. Training will continue at the site until then.