The announcement is significant given that, if they follow through with the plan, the 7pm Friday event will mark the first time the occupiers enter Burns and formally communicate with local residents, who have increasingly called on the militia to end the siege and leave Oregon.
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According to The Oregonian, the original dispute was between the Hammonds, a family of cattle ranchers, and the federal government over public land use rights involving their cattle grazing, and an arson charge over the burning of brush in land adjacent to theirs. “We’re not going to be deterred”, he says.
Leaders from the group have said they will not leave the wildlife refuge until the federal government acquiesces to their demands, including the release of the incarcerated ranchers as well as the forfeiture of millions of acres of federal lands back to local and state authorities, MSNBC reported.
The group of roughly 20 armed militia at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge outside of Burns, Oregon have been occupying the federal building for ten days now and have been running short on supplies.
VeneKlasen and others from New Mexico and across the country say they won’t stand for that.
Briels, who said he does not condone violence but agrees with the armed men’s mission, has been fire chief in the community for over 20 years. Federal Bureau of Investigation officials have said they’re monitoring the situation.
“I shouldn’t have to be scared, none of us in Harney County should have to be scared in our own hometown”, she said. Though Palmer did not directly approve of the occupation, he described the armed men as “patriots” and commended them for bringing government land management issues to light.
Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward said there’s been an increase in “vandalism, harassment and intimidation reports” since the group took over the wildlife refuge. According to PBS, during a townhall meeting, the residents themselves voiced their support for the occupants to leave, regardless of whatever cause the militia claimed to be behind. It’s also not clear exactly how much this occupation of government facilities by anti-federalist militants is costing American taxpayers – though a Harney County judge told the New York Daily News he plans to “bill” Ammon Bundy for all the unforeseen costs accrued by his county during the occupation.
As unpleasant as this occupation has been, we can at least take satisfaction in knowing that we, as a people, came together as one to make the leader of the armed band of unsafe idiots get mad online.
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“The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is a public lands treasure that belongs to all of us” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
