We want the long guns put away.
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Jon Ritzheimer, of Arizona, a member of the group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, adjust a sign Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, near Burns, Ore. January 6, 2016. Hundreds of Harney County residents attended a community meeting to express frustration and support over an armed anti-government militia group that continues to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Headquarters.
Ryan Bundy, one of the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, walks to a news conference at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016, near Burns, Ore.
“Americans have the right to protest; it should not take this form”.
“You know, who are the rightful owners?” says Rodrique.
“Armed protesters don’t belong here”, she said.
While many disagree with the tactics used by the armed occupiers at the wildlife refuge, they say they illustrate mounting frustration over excessive federal government control over local communities.
Three Oregon sheriffs met Thursday with the leader of an armed group occupying a federal wildlife refuge and asked them to leave, after residents made it clear they wanted them to go home.
The group’s leader, Ammon Bundy, is the son of an OR rancher who, in 2014, led a standoff after his cattle were seized for failure to pay grazing fees.
“We never gave up our aboriginal rights to the territory, so we as a tribe actually view this as our land, no matter who is living on it”, she said.
“I’ve got my own frustrations, we’ve got visitors in town that have their frustrations, but there’s appropriate ways to work out our differences”, he said.
The Bundys say they want the federal government to turn over its land holdings in the area to local authorities and that they will leave after they have accomplished their goal.
Spokesmen for the Idaho group said they are there to keep the situation peaceful and reassure the community that it isn’t in danger. They have also threatened to “kill and be killed” if federal agents try to roust them from the building. Late Tuesday, they moved a large plow vehicle to block the refuge’s driveway. Bundy said then that he would stand his ground, after which the men shook hands and parted ways, agreeing to speak again by telephone the next day.
Like the militants, Ward said he would like to see changes to how the country is run.
Federal officials and local law enforcement have been in a standoff with protesters for days at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
“Everybody in the United States owns that land”, he added.
He did not elaborate or specify whether any local residents had accepted the offer for land, or how his group would go about stripping the federal government of ownership.
OR congressman, Greg Walden seconds that.
On Saturday, an email from the Bundy family – several of whom are participating in and leading the occupation – asked supporters to send supplies. But the county sheriff has told the activists to go home, and many locals don’t want the group around, fearing they may bring trouble.
Wednesday night, the people of Harney County spoke.
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Dwight and Steven Hammond turned themselves over to federal authorities on Monday to serve their 5 year prison sentences.
