- The headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (pictured here in 2008) was occupied by militias on January 2, 2016.
Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
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(Redirected from Oregon wildlife refuge protest)
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This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (January 2016) |
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It has been suggested that Ammon Bundy be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2016. |
| Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge | |||
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The headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (pictured here in 2008) were occupied by militias on January 2, 2016.
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| Date | January 2, 2016 – present | ||
| Location | Harney County, Oregon, United States (30 miles south of Burns, Oregon) 43°15′55″N 118°50′39″WCoordinates: 43°15′55″N 118°50′39″W |
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| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | LaVoy Finicum[12] | ||
| Injuries | Ryan Bundy[11] | ||
| Arrested | January 15: Kenneth Medenbach[13] January 20: Duane Kirkland[14] January 25: Joseph Stetson January 26: Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Brian Cavalier, Shawna Cox, Ryan Payne[12] January 26: (separately): Joseph O'Shaughnessy,[12] Jon Ritzheimer, Pete Santilli[15] January 27: Dylan Anderson, Duane Ehmer, Jason Patrick |
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Ammon Bundy—a car fleet manager from Phoenix,[19] son of anti-government protester Cliven Bundy, and the leader of the group now calling themselves Citizens for Constitutional Freedom—said he began leading the occupation after receiving a divine message ordering him to do so.[20][21] The militant group has demanded that the federal government cede ownership of the refuge,[22] and have expressed willingness to engage in armed conflict.[23] For a time, the government and police did not engage directly with the militia.[24] The ranchers at the heart of the case have disavowed the militia.[25]
On January 26, five of the militants, including Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan, were arrested about fifty miles north of the occupation on Highway 395.[26][27] During the arrest procedure, shots were fired[26] and LaVoy Finicum was killed.[12][15][28]
In the first days, the takeover sparked a debate in the U.S. on the meaning of the word "terrorist" and on how the media and law enforcement treat situations involving people of different ethnicities or religions.[29][30][31] The Harney County Sheriff's Office has characterized the militants as criminals engaged in trespassing[32] and Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced the occupation is costing about $100,000 a week.[33] The events drew comparisons to the Ruby Ridge incident, the Waco siege, and the Montana Freemen standoff.
Contents
Background
Location
Main articles: Harney County, Oregon and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Harney County is a rural county in southeastern Oregon. The county seat is the City of Burns.[34][35] Although it is one of the largest counties by area in the United States,[34][35] its population is only about 7,700,[34] and cattle outnumber people 14-to-1.[34] About 75 percent of the county's area is federal land,[34] variously managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Forest Service agencies.[36] Besides ranching and farming, forestry and manufacturing are important industries in the county.[35]The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR), located in Harney County, was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, a conservationist.[37] Located in the Pacific Flyway, it is "one of the premiere sites for birds and birding in the U.S.", according to the National Audubon Society.[38] Tourism, especially birding, injects $15 million into the local economy annually.[39]
Cattle ranching in Harney County
Cattle ranching in Harney County predates the 1908 establishment of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, with some cattle trails, including those used by the Hammond family, dating to the 1870s. Disputes between cattle ranchers and the federal government over management of the MNWR have gone on for "generations" and the situation has regularly deteriorated to taunts and threats directed at federal officials from ranchers since at least the early 1970s.[40][41]In an effort to address concerns of neighboring landowners and interests, the recent completion of a 15-year management plan for the refuge heavily involved various stakeholders, including ranchers, in its development process. The plan was completed in 2013 and won praise from some area ranchers for its collaborative approach.[42][43]
Hammond arson case
Early conflicts with federal land managers
In 1994, Dwight Hammond and his son Steve obstructed the construction of a fence to delineate the boundary between the two parcels of property, prompting their arrest by federal agents. According to federal officials, construction of the fence was needed to stop the Hammond cattle from moving along a cattle trail that intersected public land after the Hammonds had repeatedly violated the terms of their permit, which limited when they could move their cows across refuge property.[41] Officials also reported Hammond had made threats against them in 1986 and 1988, including telling one public lands manager that he was going to "tear off his head and shit down his neck". They also contended that Steve Hammond had called them "assholes".[44] Following their release from jail on recognizance, a rally attended by 500 other cattle ranchers was held in support of the Hammonds in Burns, and then-congressman Robert Freeman Smith wrote a letter of protest to the United States Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt.[41]In 1995, voters, angry that it had not intervened on the Hammonds' behalf, attempted to recall two members of the Harney County Court,[44] though the recall attempt failed. Charges against the Hammonds were later dropped.[40]
In 1999, Steve Hammond started a fire with the intent of burning off juniper trees and sagebrush, but the fire escaped onto BLM land. The agency reminded Hammond of the required burn permit and that if the fires continued, there would be legal consequences.[45]
Fires for which the Hammonds were convicted
Both Dwight and Steve Hammond later set two fires, one in 2001 and one in 2006, that would lead to convictions of arson on federal land:[46][47]- The 2001 Hardie-Hammond fire began, according to Probation Officer Robb, when hunters in the area witnessed the Hammonds illegally slaughter a herd of deer.[48] Less than two hours later, a fire erupted and forced the hunters to leave the area, allegedly also to conceal evidence of the illegal killing of the deer.[49] Later, Steve's nephew Dusty Hammond testified that his uncle told him to start lighting matches and "light the whole countryside on fire." Dusty also testified that he was "almost burned up in the fire" and had to flee for his life.[45][50] The Hammonds have claimed they started the fire to stop invasive plants from growing onto their grazing fields.[51]
- The 2006 Krumbo Butte fire started out as a wildfire, but several illegal backburns were set by the Hammonds with the intent to protect their winter feed. The backfires were set under the cover of night without warning the firefighting camp that was known to be on the slopes above.[49][52] According to the indictment, the fires threatened to trap four BLM firefighters, one of whom later confronted Dwight Hammond at the fire scene after he had moved his crews to avoid the threat.[49][50] Two days later, according to federal prosecutors, Steve Hammond threatened to frame a BLM employee with arson if he didn't stop the investigation.[51]
Mid trial pre-sentencing agreement
In 2012, the Hammonds were tried in federal district court on multiple charges. During a break in jury deliberations, partial verdict were rendered finding the Hammonds not guilty on two of the charges, but convicting them on two counts of arson on federal land.[49] Striking a plea bargain, in order to have the four remaining charges dismissed and for sentences on the two convictions to run concurrently, the Hammonds waived their rights to appeal their convictions. This was with their knowledge that the trial would proceed to sentencing where the prosecution intended to seek imposition of the mandatory five-year minimum sentences.[49][53]Sentencing hearing, appeals of the sentence, and re-sentencing
At sentencing, the federal prosecutors requested the five-year mandatory minimum under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA).[52][54][55] U.S. District Judge Michael Robert Hogan independently decided that sentences of that length "would shock the conscience" and would violate the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. On his last day on the bench, October 31, 2012, Hogan instead sentenced Dwight Hammond to three months' imprisonment and Steve Hammond to a year and a day's imprisonment, which both men served.[56][57] In what was described by one source as a "rare" action,[58] U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall successfully appealed the sentence to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which upheld the mandatory-minimum law, writing that "given the seriousness of arson, a five-year sentence is not grossly disproportionate to the offense." The court vacated the original sentence and remanded for re-sentencing. The Hammonds filed petitions for certiorari with the Supreme Court, which the court rejected in March 2015.[54] In October 2015, Chief Judge Ann Aiken re-sentenced the pair to five years in prison (with credit for time served), ordering that they return to prison on January 4, 2016.[54][57]Both of the Hammonds reported to prison in California on January 4 as ordered by the court.[59] A few days earlier, the Hammonds also paid the federal government the remaining balance on a $400,000 court order for restitution related to the arson fires.[52]
Motives for the occupation
Protest leaders Ryan and Ammon Bundy are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church).[21][60] They and some of the other militants have cited the Mormon scripture as justification for defying government authority. After the occupation began, the LDS Church issued a statement, strongly condemning the seizure and that the armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis. "Church Responds to Inquiries Regarding Oregon Armed Occupation". www.mormonnewsroom.org. 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2016-01-28.Ammon Bundy, the leader of the group now calling themselves Citizens for Constitutional Freedom. Cliven Bundy, a Mormon who was involved in a 2014 standoff with law enforcement authorities during an illegal occupation of federally owned lands in Nevada, has frequently made references to the Book of Mormon in his conflicts with the U.S. government for years. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, during the family's 2014 standoff, Bundy used banners quoting Moroni: "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children."[61]
In 2016, Ammon, a son of Cliven Bundy, used much of the same language as his father, "mixing Mormon religious symbolism with a disgust of the federal government" during the occupation. One member of Bundy's militant group refused to give any other name to the press than "Captain Moroni, from Utah"[62] and was quoted as saying, "I didn't come here to shoot. I came here to die."[63]
Militant occupation
Prelude
Ammon Bundy, pictured here in 2014, began planning the takeover of MNWR in October 2015.
About this time, the Hammonds' case attracted the attention of Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne, who had been looking for a cause to adopt since the conclusion of the Bundy standoff in May 2014.[citation needed] In November 2015, Bundy and his associates began publicizing the Hammonds' case via social media.[64][65]
Over the ensuing weeks, Bundy and Payne met for approximately eight hours with Harney County Sheriff David Ward to detail plans for what they described would be a peaceful protest in Burns, as well as also requesting the sheriff's office protect the Hammonds from being taken into custody by federal authorities. Though Ward said he sympathized with the Hammonds' plight, he declined Bundy and Payne's request. Ward then said that he subsequently received death threats by email. Unbeknownst to Ward, Bundy and Payne were simultaneously planning a takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. By late fall, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies had become aware that members of anti-government militias had started to relocate to Harney County, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) began circulating a photograph of Ammon Bundy with instructions for staff to "be on the lookout."[47][66][67]
Despite several early meetings with Bundy and Payne, the Hammonds eventually rejected their offers of assistance, with Hammond attorney W. Alan Schroeder writing that "neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organization speak for the Hammond family."[2] When later asked about the occupation, Susan Hammond, the wife of Dwight Hammond, was dismissive and said, "I don't really know the purpose of the guys who are out there."[68]
By early December 2015, Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne had set up residence in Burns. The same month, they organized a meeting at the Harney County fairgrounds to rally support for their efforts. At the meeting, a "Committee of Safety" was organized to orchestrate direct action against the Hammond sentences.[47] According to that group's website, the Committee of Safety considers itself "a governmental body established by the people in the absence of the ability of the existing government to provide for the needs and protection of civilized society"[69] (during the American Revolution, committees of safety were shadow governments organized to usurp authority from colonial administrators).[70]
On December 30, 2015, USFWS staff members at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge were dismissed early from work. With tensions rising in nearby Burns, supervisors left staff with the final instruction not to return to the Refuge unless explicitly instructed.[67] Meanwhile, some residents of Burns reported harassment and intimidation by militia members. According to the spouses and children of several federal employees and local police, they had been followed home or to school by vehicles with out-of-state license plates.[71]
On January 1, 2016, a forum held at the Harney County fairgrounds was attended by about 60 local residents and members of militias. A Burns-area resident who organized the event described it as an opportunity to defuse tensions that had been simmering between locals and out-of-town militia in the preceding days. It was unclear how the group should proceed. The event alternated between expressions of sympathy for the Hammonds and suggestions that a peaceful rally could be beneficial.[72]
On January 2, a crowd of about 300 gathered in a Safeway parking lot in Burns. Following speeches, the crowd marched to the home of Dwight and Steve Hammond, stopping briefly en route to protest outside the sheriff's office. The crowd then returned to the Safeway parking lot and broke up. According to KOIN-TV, there was "no visible police presence at any point."[66][73]
Occupation
First week
Ammon Bundy and Ryan Bundy – along with Jon Ritzheimer[74] and armed associates – separated from the protest crowd at some point during the day and proceeded to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR), 30 miles (48 km) away.[1] The militants settled into their occupation and set up defensive positions,[1] while making several proclamations of their demands and calling on other supporters to join them.[2] Law enforcement kept away from the Refuge,[1][66][75] but various security measures were taken in surrounding areas.[76][77] Despite the increased presence in and around Burns, by the end of the day on January 4 no overt police presence was visible in the thirty miles between the town and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, seemingly underscoring the cautious, non-confrontational approach by authorities.[76] Federal authorities were thought to "be mindful of prior clashes with people who did not recognize government authority", such as the Ruby Ridge incident in 1992 and the Waco siege in 1993. These events "ended in bloodshed and became rallying cries for antigovernment militants", in contrast to similar standoffs which ended peacefully, such as the 1996 standoff with the Montana Freemen, which was resolved by extended negotiations leading to the group's surrender.[78]On January 2, the militia leaders claimed to have 150 armed members at the site, while media reports suggested a dozen armed militants were on the site,[79] and "between six and 12."[80] On January 3, The Oregonian said there were roughly 20 to 25 people present and that the militants had deployed into defensive positions.[75] On January 3, Ammon Bundy claimed that they were being supplied by area residents.[81]
A USGS satellite image
of the MNWR headquarters shows a fire lookout used as a watch tower (1)
the main offices used as a headquarters (2) and buildings used as a
canteen and barracks (3)
Ryan Bundy stated that the militant group wants the Hammonds to be released and for the federal government to relinquish control of the Malheur National Forest.[74] On January 3, Ammon Bundy said the ultimate goal of the militants was to "get the economics here in the county revived" for logging and outdoor recreation.[81] On January 4, the militants announced they had organized into an umbrella group called Citizens for Constitutional Freedom.[87]
Notice posted on the MNWR's website stating its closure "until further notice".
On January 7, Sheriff Ward and other local sheriffs met with Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne 20 miles from the site of the occupation. Sheriff Ward repeated his earlier offer to escort the militants out of the county. Bundy rejected the offer, saying he and his confederates would hold out until the federal government had surrendered all of its land holdings to local residents.[91][92]
Meanwhile, on January 4, Dwight and Steve Hammond voluntarily reported to begin serving the remaining four years of their prison sentences.[93]
Second week
Matt Shea, a member of the Washington House of Representatives, was one of several out-of-state politicians to meet with the militants on January 9 over objections of local officials.
On January 11, the militants demolished a stretch of fence between the refuge and an adjacent ranch, apparently to give the adjacent ranch access to land that had been blocked for years.[96][97][98] However, the ranch owners did not want the fence taken down and subsequently repaired it.[99] The militants began searching through government documents stored for proof of government wrongdoing toward local ranchers.[100][101]
Ward expressed concern that the militants were intimidating federal employees, including following individuals home and observing them there.[101]
On January 12, Bruce Doucette, the owner of a computer repair shop in Denver and self-proclaimed judge, announced he would convene a citizen grand jury to charge government officials with various crimes.[102] During a previous militia rally in 2015, Doucette, who has not attended law school nor ever held judicial office, referred the Denver Post to his Facebook page when asked for documentation of his magistracy.[103] Doucette's claims to be a judge are consistent with legal frauds often practiced by the sovereign citizen movement and other anti-government movements. The Southern Poverty Law Center noted a similarity between Doucette's planned trials and the false trials held by the Montana Freemen group in the 1990s.[104] On January 15, it was revealed that the militants had been filing false legal documents and threatening local officials they view as being uncooperative with their "grand jury" proceedings or charges of treason.[105]
January 15 saw the first arrest of a militant with a man apprehended while driving a vehicle stolen from the refuge facility.[106][107]
Third and fourth weeks
Militant numbers continued to grow to "several dozen" according to one report[108] or about 40 in another.[109] On January 16, the Oath Keepers anti-government militia group warned of a prospective "conflagration so great, it cannot be stopped, leading to a bloody, brutal civil war" if the situation declined to violence,[110] and reiterated demands for the federal government to cede ownership of the wildlife refuge.[108]On the same day, militants began to vandalize the property,[111] which local community leaders characterized as an attempt to provoke violent confrontation.[112] A video released by the militants showed them inspecting a locked storage room for Burns Paiute tribe artifacts held in agreement with the tribe,[113] leading the tribe to ask the federal authorities to block the passage of occupiers to the site.[114]
Ammon Bundy and several members of the militant group unexpectedly attended a community meeting in Burns, Oregon; many attendees spoke of their desire to see the militants leave and Judge Steven Grasty directly addressed Bundy with the statement "It is time for you to go home", provoking cheers from the crowd.[115][116][117]
The Sheriff's office also confirmed that militant Duane Kirkland, of Hamilton, Montana, had been arrested on charges of "felon in possession of a firearm".[14]
On January 21, Bundy met with the FBI and discussed with them about relinquishing federal government control of the refuge as well as the releases of Dwight and Steven Hammond. He agreed to meet with the FBI again on the next day, but when the meeting occurred, Bundy left when the agent present declined to negotiate in front of the media.[118][119]
Bundy arrests and Finicum shooting
On January 26, state and federal authorities conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Route 395. George T. Bretzing, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Portland division, clarified that the traffic stop was set up deliberately as an effort to arrest militants.[120] Ammon and Ryan Bundy, along with three other militants, were stopped while on their way to a community meeting in John Day, where Ammon Bundy was scheduled to be a guest speaker. Witnesses report that one car stopped, but another drove away, being subsequently pursued by officers and eventually getting stuck in a snowbank.[121] A shootout between the militants and state troopers ensued, leaving one militant, LaVoy Finicum, dead and Ryan Bundy injured. Both of the Bundy brothers and three other militants were detained after the shootout ended. They will face "federal felony charges of conspiracy to impede federal officers from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats".[12][11][15][122][123][124][125] Reports say that the group were pulled over and everyone present obeyed orders to surrender except for Finicum and Ryan Bundy, with shots then being fired.[126] Unnamed law enforcement officials stated that Finicum and Ryan Bundy had fled from the site where the party was initially pulled over, encountered a roadblock about a mile later, and that Finicum had been shot while reaching for a gun in his waistband.[127]Some of the militants and supporters claimed that Finicum was cooperating with the police when he was shot. This included a claim by Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore that "he was just murdered with his hands up". Cliven Bundy was quoted as saying that Finicum was "sacrificed for a good purpose".[128] Fiore was not present at the arrest, but said she had spoken to Ammon Bundy's wife, who he had called after the arrest.[129] Other accounts from eyewitnesses at the scene indicate that Finicum may have charged the officers.[130][131] At a news conference, officials declined to comment because the encounter is still under investigation.[132]
Three other militants were arrested in separate actions: Peter Santilli and Joseph O'Shaughnessy were arrested locally, while Jon Eric Ritzheimer was arrested by the FBI in Arizona after turning himself in.[133]
Following the arrests, the occupation continued.[126] Early on Wednesday morning, occupier Jason Patrick said that women and children had left the occupation, adding that five to six people met and then decided to continue the occupation.[134] Hours later, federal and state police forces moved into the region, formed a perimeter around the refuge, and blocked access to it by setting up roadblocks. Only ranchers who owned land near the area were allowed to pass.[135] The remaining members debated on what to do next, with some angry about the recent events.[136] Through his lawyer, Ammon Bundy urged those remaining at the refuge to stand down and go home.[137] Two hours later, a convoy of vehicles was seen leaving the refuge.[138]
Eight people left the refuge and were met by the FBI and OSP at the perimeter. Three militants, including Patrick, surrendered and were arrested, while five other individuals were allowed to leave the refuge by authorities without incident.[139][140] Reports stated that five to seven militants remained at the refuge.[132][140][141]
People involved
Main figures
Jon Ritzheimer, pictured here in May 2015, was identified as one of the leaders of the militant occupation.
Ryan Payne, 42, is an American electrician and member of the West Mountain Rangers, a rump militia from Montana.[143][144][145]
Jon Ritzheimer, 32, is an American anti-government and anti-Muslim militant affiliated with the 3 Percenters[146] and formerly associated with the controversial Oath Keepers group.[133][147]
Ryan Bundy
Ryan C. Bundy, 43, is the brother of Ammon Bundy.[148] As he was being arrested in January 2015 in Cedar City, Utah, on a warrant for interfering with a law enforcement officer, Ryan allegedly resisted arrest and was given additional charges.[149] He was reportedly wounded while in a vehicle at the scene of the traffic stop, treated and released to FBI custody.[150]Brian Cavalier
Brian Cavalier, who goes by the names "Fluffy Unicorn" and "Booda Bear", falsely claimed to have served in the U.S. Marines.[151] Cavalier had a long rap sheet of past criminal activity,[152] including several arrests for driving under the influence. In the 1990s, he was arrested several times in Santa Clara, California for unspecified offenses. More recently in 2014, Cavalier pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft of property; he was given an unspecified sentence by the Prescott Valley Municipal Court in Prescott Valley, Arizona.[151] While away from the refuge, Cavalier was arrested in Arizona on an outstanding warrant and later released.[153]Blaine Cooper
Blaine Cooper, pictured here in 2014, is among the militia members identified as occupying MNWR.
LaVoy Finicum
Robert LaVoy Finicum, 55, was a neighbor of Cliven Bundy, though he lived in Arizona.[158] Finicum was a rancher whose cattle grazed on BLM land, and he maintained that he owned grazing rights on that land through natural law. Finicum wrote a book entitled Only by Blood and Suffering: Regaining Lost Freedom. The Finicums are foster parents to a number of children, who have all been removed from their care due to their involvement in the standoff; Finicum complained that this took away his and his wife's main source of income.[159]Finicum was dubbed "Tarp Man" by MSNBC for sitting outside at night in a rocking chair, covered completely in a blue tarp and a rifle underneath.[160] When asked if he would rather be killed than arrested if the occupation turned violent, Finicum replied, "Absolutely ... I have no intention of spending any of my days in a concrete box."[161] On January 26, Finicum was killed while resisting arrest at a roadblock on U.S. Route 395 in Grant County, Oregon, a day before his 56th birthday.[15][162][163]
Neil Wampler
Neil Sigurd Wampler, 68, of Los Osos, California, is a camp cook. He was convicted in 1977 of murdering his father. He has frequently protested what he perceived as the prohibition of his ability to own firearms.[164]People arrested
- Duane Kirkland, of Hamilton, Montana, was arrested by the Oregon State Police (OSP) on January 20 for allegations of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kirkland was released without charges.[165]
- Kenneth Medenbach, 62, of Crescent, Oregon, was apprehended by the FBI in Burns on January 15, while driving a vehicle stolen from the refuge facility; a second vehicle stolen from the wildlife refuge was also recovered at the scene. Both vehicles bore altered markings of "Harney County Resource Center" on the doors, the unofficial name the militants have used for the refuge since shortly after the takeover.[106][107] Mendenbach previously had a history of troubles with the law, including a prior conviction for illegal occupation of government land that included setting up a makeshift shelter with booby traps and a stockpile of explosives, and was on bail awaiting trial for a similar charge from 2015.[13] Medenbach reportedly used many legal quirks and filed legal documents in a way consistent with the anti-government sovereign citizen movement ideology. Medenbach had previously told news reporters that "the Lord's telling me to possess the land, and I can legally do it, because the U.S. Constitution says the government does not own the land."[111]
- LaVoy Finicum was killed, and five militants were arrested by the FBI on January 26, during a traffic stop on U.S. Route 395 between Seneca and John Day in Grant County.
They have been charged with a federal felony to impede officers of the
United States from discharging their official duties through the use of
force, intimidation or threats. If convicted, they face up to ten years
in prison:
- Ammon Bundy, 40, of Emmett, Idaho (leader of the occupation)[11]
- Ryan Bundy, 43, of Bunkerville, Nevada (brother to Ammon Bundy)[11]
- Brian Cavalier, 44, of Bunkerville, Nevada[12]
- Shawna Cox, 59, of Kanab, Utah[12]
- Ryan Payne, 32, of Anaconda, Montana[12][122][166]
- Dylan Anderson, 34, of Provo, Utah, was arrested by the FBI on January 27 in Burns on a separate incident on similar charges.[167]
- Duane Ehmer, 45, of Irrigon, Oregon, was arrested by the FBI on January 27 in Burns on a separate incident on similar charges.[167]
- Joseph O'Shaughnessy, 45, of Cottonwood, Arizona, was arrested by the FBI on January 26 in Burns on a separate incident on similar charges.[12]
- Jason Patrick, 43, of Bonaire, Georgia, was arrested by the FBI on January 27 in Burns on a separate incident on similar charges.[167]
- Jon Ritzheimer, 32, an anti-Islam activist, voluntarily surrendered on January 26, 2016, to the FBI in his home town of Peoria, Arizona. He has been charged with a federal felony to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.[15][168][169]
- Pete Santilli, 50 from Cincinnati, Ohio, was arrested by the FBI on January 26, 2016, in Burns on a separate incident on similar charges. He was later released on bail.[15][170]
- Joseph Stetson, 54, of Woodburn, Oregon, was arrested on January 25 by the Oregon State Police (OSP) in Burns for driving under the influence while trying to join the militants. He was drunk and threatened to kill police as he was being arrested.[171]
Reactions
Media
Due to the presence of members with connections to hate groups and violent anti-government groups, The Daily Beast dubbed the event "Wingnut Woodstock", referencing a militant who would only identify himself as "Captain Moroni" (in an apparent reference to a Mormon legend) who told media outlets, "I didn't come here to shoot. I came here to die."[172]Pacific Standard Magazine published a detailed analysis of many of the historical claims made by the militants in their public statements and in an "open letter" addressed to Harney County Sheriff David Ward. The magazine rates the claims as "libertarian fairy tales" and "revisionist history", noting that "you can tell the story of Harney County as a morality tale about the evils of big government only if you leave most of it out. And so they do."[173]
Anti-government activists
Cliven Bundy, the father of Ammon and Ryan Bundy, said he was not involved in organizing the takeover of the MNWR facilities and added that it was "not exactly what I thought should happen".[66]Asked about the incident, Mike Vanderboegh, a founder of the 3 Percenters militia, described the militants as "a collection of fruits and nuts", described Jon Ritzheimer as a "fool", and said Ammon Bundy had "a John Brown complex".[174]
The group Oath Keepers (of which Jon Ritzheimer was formerly a member) in a statement published on its website prior to the seizure of the MNWR facilities, said, "[W]e cannot force ourselves or our protection on people who do not want it. Dwight and Steven Hammond have made it clear, through their attorney, that they just want to turn themselves in and serve out their sentence. And that clear statement of their intent should be the end of the discussion on this."[175] Stewart Rhodes, the group's leader later took back their statements and warning of a "bloody, brutal civil war" if the situation did not end peacefully with the group's demands met.[110]
Residents
The New York Times reported that "[r]esidents expressed sympathy with the underlying complaints, but elected officials criticized the armed protesters as an outsider militia group whose actions had thrown their community into a harsh national glare."[78] Former Burns mayor Len Vohs said, "The majority of us support the Hammonds, but we don't need outsiders telling us what to do." He criticized the tactics used by the militiamen, saying that it was "anarchy" and "might is right" thinking.[176] Harney County commissioner Dan Nichols, a neighbor of the Hammond family, made similar comments, saying that he shared frustrations about federal land policy but strongly disagreed with the involvement of armed outsiders.[78]In a meeting held on January 6, local residents nearly unanimously agreed they wanted the militants to leave in a show of hands to a question from Harney County Sheriff David Ward, although some expressed agreement with the concerns raised by the militia group over land use issues.[177]
Federal, state, local, and tribal governments
On January 4, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, "[U]ltimately this is a local law enforcement matter and the FBI is monitoring the situation and offering support to local law enforcement officials." Earnest added that President Barack Obama was aware of the situation.[178]In a statement issued January 7, Governor Kate Brown of Oregon said, "I agree that what started as a peaceful and legal protest has become unlawful. It was instigated by outsiders whose tactics we Oregonians don't agree with. Those individuals illegally occupying the Malheur Wildlife Refuge need to decamp immediately and be held accountable."[179]
In a statement posted to its website on January 4, the Harney County Court said that "the Refuge is under federal jurisdiction. The County Court will stay engaged within the limits of our legal authority. The Hammond family is well respected in Harney County, [the] motivation of the militia groups that have descended on Harney County goes far beyond the troubles of the Hammond family as demonstrated by their actions at the Refuge." The court went on to announce it had ordered increased security at the county courthouse.[180] Harney County Judge Steve Grasty announced that the Bundy group would be billed the security costs incurred by the county as a result of the occupation, estimated at $60,000 to $70,000 per day.[181]
The governing council of the Burns Paiute Tribe, an Indian nation in Harney County, declared the militants were endangering the tribe's history by their presence and called on them to leave. Tribal chair Charlotte Rodrique went on to explain that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was the protector of traditional Burns Paiute religious and archaeological sites in the area and that the displacement of federal authorities put such locations at risk.[182]
State Representative Cliff Bentz, who represents the region in the Oregon House of Representatives, said that the outside groups do not represent Burns or Harney County, explaining, "They're trying to use the misfortune of the Hammonds to further the interests of the Bundys."[183]
U.S. Representative Greg Walden of Oregon said in his speech on the floor of the House that "I am not condoning this takeover in any way. I want to make that clear. I don't think it is appropriate. There is a right to protest. I think they have gone too far. But I understand and hear their anger."[184]
In a January 6 press release, the Western State Sheriffs Association (WSSA), an organization representing 800 sheriffs in the Western United States, said its mission was to "promote the office of Sheriff and to assist our member Sheriffs on issues of mutual concern" and that it had offered Harney County Sheriff David Ward to organize out-of-state resources to send to Oregon if requested. The WSSA statement went on to note that it did not "support efforts of any individual or groups who utilize intimidation, threats or fear in order to further an agenda."[185]
Organizations
The Oregon Cattlemen's Association, while maintaining it still supported the Hammonds, released a statement that declared it did "not support illegal activity taken against the government. This includes militia takeover of government property, such as the Malheur Wildlife Refuge."[186]In a January 4 statement released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church leaders said they "strongly condemn the armed seizure of the facility and are deeply troubled by the reports that those who have seized the facility suggest that they are doing so based on scriptural principles. This armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis."[187][60][188]
The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a publicity stunt on January 5 by sending a delegation to the area to give vegan jerky to militia members.[189][190]
The Audubon Society of Portland, in a written statement, said that the "occupation of Malheur by armed, out of state militia groups puts one of America's most important wildlife refuges at risk. It violates the most basic principles of the public trust doctrine and holds hostage public lands and public resources to serve the very narrow political agenda of the militants."[191]
Other
The militants were mocked on social media, with commentators ridiculing the groups as "Y'all Qaeda" (in reference to American dialectical Y'all and the group al-Qaeda).[192][193] Twitter hashtags such as "#OregonUnderAttack", "#VanillaISIS"[193] (Vanilla Ice and ISIS),[194] "#Yeehawdists" (Yeehaw and Jihadists), "#Yokelharam" (Yokel and Boko Haram), and "#Talibundy" (Taliban and the Bundy surname) were used.[195][196][197][198]After the occupiers asked their supporters for food and fuel donations to be sent to them, internet trolls mailed the militants numerous packages of glitter and sex paraphernalia.[199][200]
Writer Ursula K. Le Guin, a resident of Oregon, penned an op-ed condemning newspaper The Oregonian's apparent bias in covering the events as "inaccurate" and "irresponsible", and the militants as "bullyboys" and "a flock of Right-Winged Loonybirds."[201]
Some self-identified Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) propagandists used media publicity of the event to promote themselves, declaring that Americans should "destroy their corrupt, evil, and oppressive government."[202]
Debates over the definition of terrorism
See also: Definitions of terrorism
In the midst of the occupation, there has been considerable
traditional and social media coverage considering how the media and law
enforcement describe[203] and have reacted to the militia occupation.[204][205][206] The reaction to the white and Christian militants has been contrasted with that to black protesters, e.g. around the Ferguson protests and the Black Lives Matter movement,[207] or to Muslims.[208] Some commentators have described decisions not to label the militants as terrorists as an example of white privilege.[209]The militants themselves have drawn the comparison with the Black Lives Matter and other anti-racist demonstrations, with one occupier saying, in contrast to most media reports, they have been more harshly treated than Black Lives Matter protesters.[210] Ammon Bundy was initially reported to have tweeted comparing himself to Rosa Parks,[211] but the post was later reported to have been sent by a hoax account,[212] although other involved militants have made a comparison with Parks.[109]
See also
- Bureau of Land Management
- Occupation of Alcatraz
- Posse Comitatus
- Sagebrush Rebellion
- Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act
- Wounded Knee incident
References
- John, Tara (January 6, 2016). "Rosa Parks Tweet Purportedly From Ammon Bundy a Hoax". Time. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
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Categories:
- 2016 crimes in the United States
- 2016 in Oregon
- 2016 protests
- Anti-Federalism
- Armed standoffs in the United States
- Harney County, Oregon
- Land management in the United States
- Law enforcement in Oregon
- Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
- Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
- Occupations (protest)
- Ongoing events
- Protests in Oregon
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- United States private paramilitary groups
The rally was peaceful, authorities said....But afterward, a group of armed militants split off, went to the wildlife refuge 30 miles away and took it over. Ammon Bundy has been acting as the group's leader, and they say they won't back down until the government relinquishes the federal refuge to the people.
Executive Order 929. Wikisource.BoorsteinMormon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_occupation_of_the...
The headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (pictured here in 2008) was occupied by militias on January 2, 2016.
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