Kalistani Major History

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Chris MacInnis Assassinated
Capital and several major cities descend into chaos
Kaliburg, Ananto
January 18, 5412


Police attempt to retake control of the Streets as Factions clash

Kalistan has been in simmering turmoil for the last several years following the rise of the Institutionalist Faction and the Lockout of Orthodox Deputies. As the first of those Deputies, wanted for incitement of the 5411 riots was finally beginning their trials, the Capital was rocked by another vicious series of riots which left 42 people dead, and much of downtown Lolla and Sulari looking like a battle zone.

The riots stemmed from the assassination of Orthodox leader Chris MacInnis, who was recently convicted for his role in the 5411 riots and was released from custody while awaiting sentencing. As he left the courthouse in Kaliburg and was about to begin a press conference, a partisan of the Institutionalist Faction, Margaret Downs, approached him with a pistol, pointed it at his face and fired three shots point blank. The gunshots killed MacInnis instantly, while Downs was being wrestled to the ground and disarmed by members of the Kalistani Press. Downs later explained that her motivation was to bring an end to the political chaos in Kalistan, and she felt assassination was the answer. Instead Orthodox Partisans, already simmering after several defeats in Court, which they labeled "kangaroo Court" erupted.

The first target was the Lolla jail, where Downs was being held. Protestors set upon the building, demanding Downs be turned over to the mob. Police response was stringent, but they were eventually overwhelmed by protestors, who stormed the building. Downs had been escorted out the back and into an armored vehicle for relocation to another detention facility outside the city just minutes before the mob broke through police lines. Upon finding that the accused assassin was no longer in the building, the mob ransacked the station, and then set it ablaze. This kicked off a night of looking and arson in Downtown Lolla, which spread to the Mall once more.

While protestors were looting shops and torching businesses in Lolla, Institutionalist Partisans, ignoring calls for calm from Institutionalist Faction leaders and Deputies in the National Assembly, flooded the streets and sought out Orthodox partisans. The protests then turned deadly as gunfire was heard around the city, and bystanders were encouraged to shelter in their homes. The Capital remained crippled the next day as police could not contain the melees, and began setting up perimeters well away from the violence. The Regular Army was called up from Dah to help the police secure much of the city, and Kaliburg took on the air of martial law.

The chaos was unfortunately not contained within the capital, as clashes between faction partisans were also reported in Sulari, Dana, Yoshimi, Springfield, Nevaras City, Vrassa City, Port Swedes and Addisjah. These battles were mostly without fatality, with Sulari being the exception, where more than 20 individuals were killed in hand to hand clashes between partisans.

The Premier of the Nation issued the following statement:

"The civil strife which has rocked this nation is evidence that members of the Orthodox Faction are as illiberal as they are irrelevant. I have asked the Standing Force to join with our police force to quell these rebellions and re-establish peace and order in this Republic. We will not meet with Orthodox Leaders until the violence subsides, and then we will only meet with those who have not taken part in this chaos, but instead wish to work with us to bring tranquility back to our Republic."

The Premier then proposed a bill which would allow the Police to work directly with the Military to end civil disturbance, but that didn't even get a majority of the support for her own faction, so Howard vowed to work with the law however possible. The civil unrest continues, though it seems to have abated now for a couple days. The funeral for the slain Faction leader is set for next Tuesday in Kaliburg, where a fresh round of factional conflict is expected.