The armed occupation, which began over a month ago at the Malheur National Wildlife Center, lost its momentum last week after its leaders, brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy, were arrested during a traffic stop.
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The Bundys were arrested on January 26.
Bundy was arrested last week with a handful of other occupiers while en route to a community meeting miles away from the refuge. Before Thursday, the four had said in a series of interviews and video broadcasts online that they would not leave unless they were assured that they would not be charged.
Protesters were upset about the fatal police shooting of the spokesman for an armed group that has occupied a nearby wildlife refuge to protest land use policies.
The others named in the federal indictment are Jon Ritzheimer, Ryan Payne, Ryan Bundy (who is Ammon’s brother), Brian Cavalier, Jason Patrick, Joe O’shaughnessy, Duane Ehmer, Dylan Anderson and Shawna Cox.
On Oct. 5, two of the alleged conspirators went to Harney County, where the refuge is located, to warn the county sheriff of “extreme civil unrest” if certain demands were not met, the indictment says.
The remaining occupiers are: David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio; Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada; and Sean Anderson, 48, and Sandy Anderson, 47, a married couple from Riggins, Idaho. Many of those in custody are appearing this week for detention hearings in U.S. District Court in Portland. Bundy supporters say his death was not justified.
Bundy states in the recording that he is in solitary confinement and that he has only recently learned of his indictment.
In the indictment prosecutors said those charged knowingly conspired “to prevent by force, intimidation, and threats, officers and employees of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service … from discharging the duties of their office at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge”.
Refuges in southern OR, northern California and Nevada are increasing security measures.
But he also remained defiant in his message against the federal government, saying that he would like to see the citizens work on “returning these lands back to the people of Harney County and the State of OR as prescribed in the constitution”. Hundreds gathered to protest and support the armed occupation of a national wildlife preserve.
“Due to the evolving situation in eastern OR, all service stations are on alert and being advised to take appropriate caution”, Shire said in a statement.
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