37. Fighting Against Independence
On May 30th, 1967, the people of Anguilla rose up and forcibly evicted the police, which was dominated by officers from their disliked sister colony, St. Kitts. They tore down the flag of the fledgling state of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla and replaced it with a Union Jack. The Anguillians also set up a provisional government which requested that Anguilla be ruled by the US, but Washington declined.
That July, a referendum on secession from St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla was held. Secession won overwhelmingly, 1813 to 5, and an Anguillian legislature was established. It eventually negotiated a return to the federation with St. Kitts and Nevis, so long as Anguilla was granted a measure of self-rule.