Alanis Pride Parade Bombing

Alanis Pride Parade Bombing
The aftermath of the bombing in Alanis
Date June 18th, 1983 Location Alanis, Pahl, Zamastan Result Further inspired terrorist attacks in Zamastan Zamastanian invasion of Vulkaria First War in Vulkaria starts
Casualties and losses
106 deaths 400+ injuries

The Alanis Pride Parade Bombing, also commonly referred to as the Alanis Terror Attack was a terror attack perpetrated by a member of the Malvarian Liberation Front on June 18th, 1983, in Alanis, Pahlan Province, Zamastan. The attack targeted a parade celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage in Zamastan following legislation signed by President Cassious Castovia. This attack was originally thought to be perpetrated by a radical hate group, which was condemned by Castovia and the leaders of nearly every allied nation of Zamastan’s. However, it was soon discovered that the bombing was carried out by the terror/revolutionary group Malvarian Liberation Front operating out of Vulkaria under the command of Samuel Kannit. The bombing and several more attacks throughout the next week was the leading cause of Zamastan's invasion into Vulkaria.

Background

The situation in Vulkaria

The small rocky, coastal grassland nation of Vulkaria had undergone a coup d'état by the forces of the staunch marxist revolutionary Samuel Kannit, who wanted to overthrow the government ot Bernard Coard, a staunch capitalist seeking to strengthen the country's existing ties with Zamastan, Avergnon, and capitalist nations of the Coalition of Crown Albatross. The prime minister, Yan'aa Tillman was killed during the coup, and insurgents had orders to shoot on sight. Over 1,000 Zamastanians were in the nation, mostly medical students and their families, and the government could not guarantee their security. After the coup, the new Vulkarian government led by Prime Minister Eugenia Charles officially called on Zamastan for protection, but they initially refused. Due to the small and relatively insufficient military, the splinter group of the Marxist leaning forces formed a faction called the Malvarian Liberation Front. This group often attacked villages and were known for their brutality. The group also had a reputation for attacking foreigners regardless of nationality or allegiance. The M.L.F.'s view on Zamastan was that if that country was hit with enough pressure to occupy Vulkaria, the people of Vulkaria would become more attuned and accepting of the terror group and help overthrow the government in a revolt.

The Pride Parade

Though most of Cassious Castovia's first official duties as President for the first quarter of his first term (6 months) were merely social issues, the Supreme Court and the Congressional members of the government discussed a growing trend in the global community – that of legalizing gay marriage. The LGBT community around the world had started gaining momentum, specifically in the fact that laws outlawing homosexuality were being abolished in many developed nations such as Austrolis and Caspia around the 1980s. On June 4th, 1983, Castovia signed a bill that allowed for individual counties to allow their own passage of same-sex marriage. This was a hotly disputed act, but it progressed Zamastan’s social climate further towards the adapting world.

Following the signing of the bill, many cities around Zamastan hosted celebrations honoring the event. In Alanis, a city of around 600,000 people, same-sex couples and heterosexuals alike flooded the streets in celebration. Two days after the legislation, several members of the M.L.F. entered the country under refugee status. Their objective under the command of their leader, Samuel Kannit, was to choose soft targets for attack.

Bombing

At 1:37 PM, an explosion ripped through the crowd of the parade going through downtown Alanis. According to investigators and first responders, 52 people were killed instantly by the blast. Due to the congestion of the crowd, many victim's fatalities were delayed and did not occur until after they were removed from the scene. An additional 54 people died either on route to or in hospitals. Over 400 people were injured, many by pieces of debris from the imploded concrete of the sidewalk and glass from shattered windows, though at least 67 people had limbs blown off. Rescue workers and medical personnel, on hand for the parade, gave aid as additional police, fire, and medical units were dispatched, including from surrounding cities as well as private ambulances from all over the region.

Police, following emergency plans, diverted arriving spectators to Alanis Common and Abbotsford Square. The nearby Paritaian Hotel and other buildings were evacuated. Police closed a 15-block area around the blast site. The Alanis police commissioner recommended that people stay off the streets. Dropped bags and packages, abandoned as their owners fled from the blasts, increased uncertainty as to the possible presence of more bombs and many false reports were received.

Investigation and arrests

Evidence found near the blast sites included bits of metal, nails, ball bearings, black nylon pieces from a backpack, remains of an electronic circuit board, and wiring. A pressure cooker lid was found on a nearby rooftop. Both of the improvised explosive devices were pressure cooker bombs manufactured by the bomber. Federal authorities quickly discovered a man matching descriptions given by witnesses prior to the bombing of a suspect. He was arrested at a checkpoint just outside Alanis, and after shortly attempting to flee and being recaptured, he confessed to the bombing. Because the man was registered as a refugee, his identity was found to be falsified and his real name was never discovered, though he did reveal that he was a member of the M.L.F., which reached the desk of Cassious Castovia exactly one day after the bombing.

Other attacks

Throughout the rest of the week, many more attacks took place against other targets. Most were small attacks that failed to kill people, however, two attacks did occur that involved multiple casualties- both fatalities and injuries. These events pressed Zamastan’s interest beyond domestic policy for the first time since the second world war. The first of these occurred on June 20th, where a bomb detonated outside of the Presidential Mansion in Tofino, killing seven security guards and four tourists. President Castovia wasn’t injured, but the glass windows of the Gaviria Room in which he was sitting did shatter and injure some of his aides. The second attack was a mass stabbing at the Tofino Airport which resulted in the deaths of three people and the injuries of nearly forty more.