organization stated that it viewed the news station as "leftist propaganda". Following that attack, whose main aim was to neutralize the electronic equipment of the station and therefore stop the news casting, a series of other attacks followed. Less than 24 hours later, another explosion took place at a bakery. The next bomb attack took place on 29 August, when a car from a well known politically left-oriented banker was the target of the explosion. On that same day, FLAMA releases pamphlets stating its intentions to start a provisional government of Madeira and asking for the recognition of FLAMA "as the true representative of the will of Madeira's people". However, the director of FLAMA at the time, José Carvalho, has stated that the move was "pure propaganda". Another attack followed, in the morning of 31 August, when another banker's car, João Abel Azevedo, was the target of the bomb attack. This attack led to the detention of a number of suspects by the local police forces, and when the news of the detentions was released on 2 September, FLAMA retaliated and a firecracker was thrown at São Lourenço Palace. One of FLAMA's most controversial moments however, came on the night of 28 August, when 6 young men aged 15 to 17 sprayed slogans in support of FLAMA and Madeira's independence on the walls of a tourist complex named Matur, located in the municipality of Machico. They were detained by the police forces, due to the security cameras at the site, and once the news spread regarding their detention there was popular outrage against their actions. However, as minors, they were released but the event, which captured significant media attention, became known as the "Popular Trial of Machico". A manifestation against FLAMA and its actions was called on 18 September, and it turned into a protest against independence with banners reading "Death to FLAMA". The following morning, two firecrackers were fired, the attacks were perpetrated by FLAMA, the first aimed at a car, the second bomb aimed at the house of a known syndicalist on the island. Several attacks took place in the following days, and after an occupation of another news broadcaster by a group of expatriates who had returned to Portugal following the war for independence of Angola and Mozambique and who demanded higher standards of living, three more attacks took place on the 10th, 12th, 15th and 21