The protesters removal has brought international attention to the situation in Vieques, helping spur the actions of those supporting U.S. withdrawal.

On Friday, several protests took place across the country. Fifteen protesters were arrested in front of an U.S. Navy recruiting office in Philadelphia. Also, eight students rushed the field during a Yankees game in New York carrying Puerto Rican flags. Perl-Matanzo said the students were from Dartmouth.

Five uniformed police officers were present throughout the demonstration, but did not interfere with the protest. The group did not obtain any permits to camp in front of the building, but said they plan to stay until the bombing stops or they are removed.

The group has not been contacted by any police officials, and is currently unsure of whether they will be allowed to stay. Most of the group said they believe that if any action is taken, it will occur this morning, when thousands of commuters arrive to work in the heavily trafficked area.

"We are in a very ambiguous position," said Jim Seale-Collazo, a first-year student at the Graduate School of Education. "I don't think we have forced them into any situation where they will have to respond to us, but we really don't know."

Kimberly M. Sanchez '03 said she believes continued protests are the best way to keep the Vieques issue in the public spotlight.

"Now that the civil disobedience camps on the island have been dismantled, this is the only avenue left open for supporters to voice their condemnation of the human rights violations that have and will take place on Vieques if the U.S. Navy is allowed to continue its occupation of the island," Sanchez wrote in an e-mail message.