November 6th 1947

A gangster group serving the interests of Education Minister José Manuel Alemán steals La Demajagua’s Bell from the University Students Federation’s Hall of the Martyrs to prevent it from being used in the popular protest against Grau San Martin’s government.

The university students start a relentless protest against the hijacking of the Bell, until its returned to the city of Manzanillo on November 12th. During a speech at the University Staircase he strongly condemns the theft and describes it as "unprecedented and outrageous affront to a relic of the Republic."