The same twitter account also tweeted on Wednesday an ominous warning to law enforcement agencies that any attempt to stop the occupation could lead to bloodshed. Ward told Bundy the community wanted his group to leave the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, where the group has occupied the headquarters buildings for six days.
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“Rodrique said the tribe never ceded its rights to the land. It belongs to the native people who live here”, Burns Paiute Tribal leader Charlotte Rodrique said.
The Hammonds’ lawyer has said the family does not want the protesters’ support.
A building at the Harney County Fairgrounds in rural OR was packed to the seams Wednesday night, as local residents discussed an ongoing occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Ammon Bundy hasn’t provided exact numbers but it’s believed there are about two dozen people involved – some from as far away as Arizona and MI.
Rodrique and Kennedy said the Paiute people spent their winters in the area long before settlers, ranchers and trappers arrived.
“I understand that the occupiers of the federal land have said that they will leave if the local community doesn’t want them, and from what I’m seeing in the news, the local community doesn’t want them”, Clinton said in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun. Group leader Ammon Bundy has told reporters they will leave when theres a plan in place to turn over federal lands to locals.
“Until we know and understand that the people are going to end up on top here, we plan on staying”, he said. “We will take that offer but not yet”.
Ward offered a “safe escort” from the refuge to the protesters.
“This is meant to be a peaceful occupation”, Fincum said.
“That is interesting”, Bundy said, responding to a reporter’s question. Late Tuesday, the group moved a large plow vehicle to block the refuge’s driveway.
But if there’s any group that has a legitimate gripe with the US government over ownership of local land, it’s not Bundy’s white, anti-government group. “However, the sheriff is keeping all options open”. “We need to make sure that there is some teeth in these land transfers”.
“The legislature, so as to be true blue in these United States, must recognize a review of grievances by nationals”, he said. We’re here because people were being ignored.
Critics of the federal government argue that it often oversteps its authority over land use. It owns 85 percent of Nevada, 66 percent of Utah, 62 percent of both Idaho and Alaska, and 53 percent of Oregon.
– Harney Cty. Sheriff (@HarneyCoSheriff) January 7, 2016Sheriff Ward asks Ammon Bundy to please leave and respect the wishes of Harney County residents. A community meeting was scheduled for later Wednesday.
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Dwight Hammond and his son Steven Hammond have distanced themselves from Bundy’s group and reported to prison Monday. Last fall, the Hammonds were ordered back to federal prison after having already served time for lighting fires on publicly managed land. Ward was backed up by two other OR sheriffs.
