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On January 7, the Harney Electric Cooperative began disconnecting power to the fire guard station in the MNWR in the community of [[Frenchglen, Oregon|Frenchglen]]. According to officials, the move was done to prevent militants from relocating to other sites within the Refuge.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gunderson|first1=Laura|title=Police shut off power at BLM fire station near refuge|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/01/police_shut_off_power_at_far_e.html#incart_big-photo|accessdate=January 7, 2016|work=[[The Oregonian]]|date=January 7, 2016}}</ref>
On January 7, the Harney Electric Cooperative began disconnecting power to the fire guard station in the MNWR in the community of [[Frenchglen, Oregon|Frenchglen]]. According to officials, the move was done to prevent militants from relocating to other sites within the Refuge.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gunderson|first1=Laura|title=Police shut off power at BLM fire station near refuge|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/01/police_shut_off_power_at_far_e.html#incart_big-photo|accessdate=January 7, 2016|work=[[The Oregonian]]|date=January 7, 2016}}</ref>

On January 8, members of other militias met with the occupiers and asked their members to establish a perimeter around the occupied area to avoid a "[[Waco siege|Waco-style situation]]".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-militia-idUSKBN0UM2ED20160109| author=Jonathan Allen| title=Militia groups meet with leaders of Oregon occupation, pledge support| publisher=Reuters| date=January 8, 2016}}</ref>


==Reactions==
==Reactions==

Revision as of 05:34, 9 January 2016

occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
The headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (pictured in 2008) was occupied by militias on January 2, 2016.
DateJanuary 2, 2016 – present
Location
Harney County, Oregon, United States
(30 miles south of Burns, Oregon)
StatusOngoing
Parties
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom[5]
3 Percenters
Various anti-government protesters[6]
Lead figures
  • Richard Evans (Oregon State Police)
  • David Ward (Harney County Sheriff)
Number
  • FBI - unknown
  • ATF - unknown
  • Oregon State Police - unknown
  • Harney County Sheriff's Office - 5 personnel
  • ~32 personnel from other departments[8][9]
  • Burn Paiute Tribal Police - unknown
20 to 25 (The Oregonian estimate)
12 (The Guardian estimate)
6 to 15 (Oregon Public Broadcasting estimate)
150 (militia claim)
Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is located in the United States
Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is located in Oregon
Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

On January 2, 2016, armed[10] members of rump militias occupied the headquarters building at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in rural southeastern Oregon in protest of the pending imprisonment of ranchers Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond. The two were convicted on charges of arson in 2012 for unlawfully setting fire to federal land under a domestic anti-terrorism law after setting brush fires to clear grazing land without the required permit.[11] Ammon Bundy, the leader of the group now calling themselves Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, said he began leading the occupation after receiving a divine message from God ordering him to do so.[12][13] The group has also stated that local people should control use of federal land.[14]

Although their sentences and imprisonment were a stated cause of the dispute, the Hammonds have repeatedly rejected the intervention of militias. Dwight Hammond's wife stated, "I don't really know the purpose of the guys who are out there."

Some of the militia members stated that they were ready to "kill and be killed" in the standoff.[15] The takeover sparked a debate in the U.S. on the meaning of the word "terrorist" in the context of domestic terrorism in the country, and furthermore on how the media and law enforcement treat situations involving people of different ethnicities or religions.[16][17][18]

Background

Harney County

Main article: Harney County, Oregon
Harney County is a large, sparsely populated county in southeastern Oregon

Harney County is a rural county in southeastern Oregon.[19][20] It is 311 miles (501 km) southeast of Portland, Oregon.[19] At 10,228 square miles (26,490 km2) in size, the county is the largest in Oregon, and one of the largest in the United States.[19][20] The county is sparsely populated, with a population of about 7,700.[19] About 75 percent of the county's area is federal land,[19] variously managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Forest Service.[21] About 500 ranches and farms producing cattle, dairy products and hay operate within the county, with cattle outnumbering people 14-to-1.[19] Besides ranching and farming, forestry and manufacturing are important industries in the county.[20]

According to the website of the Harney County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff has a staff of five law enforcement officers and one process server.[22] Burns, the county seat, has a separate police department but, as of 2008, did not employ enough officers to provide "24-hour" coverage.[23]

Harney County is one of just seven counties in Oregon that retains the traditional county court, a consolidated executive-legislative-judicial body formerly common in the American frontier. Executive authority is vested in the county judge who, when sitting with two commissioners, further possesses lawmaking power. The judge also has judicial authority in some civil matters separate from the regularly constituted state courts.[24][25]

Origins of dispute

Cattle ranching in Harney County predates the 1908 establishment of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) 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.[26][27]

Dwight Hammond, a cattle rancher in Harney County, owns 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) of land, much of which abuts public land. In 1994, 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.[27] 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 Steve Hammond had called them "assholes".[28] 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.[27] Voters successfully recalled two members of the Harney County Court in anger that it had not intervened on the Hammonds' behalf.[28] Charges against the Hammonds were later dropped.[26]

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.[29] Both Dwight and Steve Hammond would later go on to set two additional fires that would lead to arson convictions.[30]

Hammond arson case

In 2012, a federal district court jury found Dwight and Steve Hammond guilty of arson, for fires they had started on the federal land adjacent to their property in 2001 and 2006.[31]

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.[32] Less than two hours later, a fire erupted and forced the hunters to leave the area.[33] 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.[29][34] The Hammonds have falsely claimed they started the fire to stop invasive plants from growing onto their grazing fields.[35]

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.[33][36] According to the indictment, the fires threatened to trap four BLM firefighters, one of whom later confronted Dwight Hammond at the fire scene after having moved his crews to avoid the threat.[33][34] Two days later, Steve Hammond threatened to frame a BLM employee with arson if he didn't stop the investigation.[35]

Following their conviction, federal prosecutors requested a five-year sentence for each of the Hammonds as provided for under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA).[36] The AEDPA provides that arson on federal land carries a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.[37][38] U.S. District Judge Michael Robert Hogan determined sentences of that length "would shock the conscience" and would violate the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Hogan instead sentenced Dwight Hammond to three months' imprisonment and Steve Hammond to a year and a day's imprisonment, which both men served.[39] In what was described by media as a "rare" action, 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 resentencing. The Hammonds filed petitions for certiorari with the Supreme Court, which the court rejected in March 2015.[37] 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.[37][39] Both of the Hammonds reported to prison in California on January 4 in accordance with the law.[40]

In a separate 2014 civil judgment, the Hammonds were ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution to the U.S. government for the related arson fires. The pair paid half the amount immediately and the remaining $200,000 in December 2015.[36]

Opposition to sentences

Ammon Bundy, pictured here in 2014, is one of the leaders of the occupation of the MNWR.

A petition requesting leniency for the Hammonds began circulating prior to their resentencing. Organized by the Oregon Farm Bureau, it had gathered more than 2,000 signatures by October 2015 and the pair's attorney said he hoped it would convince President Barack Obama to grant clemency.[39] Meanwhile, the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, a trade group representing cattle ranchers in Oregon, established a fund to defray the Hammond's legal fees.[41]

By late 2015, the Hammond case had attracted the attention of members of the family of Cliven Bundy, including sons Ammon and Ryan. The Bundys publicized the situation via social media, drawing interest from militia groups outside Oregon who sought to publicly endorse the Hammonds to draw attention to unrelated issues.[31][42] The Hammonds rejected the 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."[4] 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."[43]

Harney County sheriff David Ward agreed to meet with the militia members who requested 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 the militias' request. Ward said that he subsequently received death threats by email.[31]

Militia occupation

Prelude

Blaine Cooper, pictured here in 2014, is among the militia members identified as occupying MNWR.

In December 2015, Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne set up residence in Burns. The same month, they organized a meeting at the Harney County fairgrounds to rally support for their efforts.[31] At the meeting, a "Committee of Safety" was organized to orchestrate direct action against the Hammond sentences.[31] 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"[44] (during the American Revolution, committees of safety were shadow governments organized to usurp authority from colonial administrators).[45] Over the following weeks, an increasing number of out-of-state members of militias began arriving in Burns, prompting both opposition and support from area residents.[31] On New Year's Eve, militia member Blaine Cooper posted a message to his Facebook page appealing for like-minded persons to send "supplies or snacks" to a post office box in Burns addressed to "Jon Ritzheimer or Blaine Cooper."[46]

On January 1, 2016, a privately organized public 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. According to press accounts, the event lasted about two hours and "shifted from sometimes profanity-laden declarations to agreements the Hammonds had been too harshly treated and that a peaceful rally might do some good."[47]

At noon on January 2, a crowd of about 300 gathered in the parking lot of a Safeway grocery store in Burns. Following 40 minutes of speeches, the crowd marched one mile 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 same Safeway and broke up, the entire march lasting approximately ninety minutes. According to KOIN-TV, there was "no visible police presence at any point."[48][42]

Initial occupation

Jon Ritzheimer, pictured here in May 2015, was identified as one of the leaders of the armed occupation.

In what appeared to be a pre-planned operation, two sons of Cliven Bundy – Ammon Bundy and Ryan Bundy – along with Jon Ritzheimer[49] and members of the militias, separated from the protest crowd at some point during the day and proceeded to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR), 30 miles away.[3] There, they began occupying unstaffed buildings on the property and set up a roadblock on an access drive.[3] In a video posted to his Facebook page, Ammon Bundy called on supporters to converge on the facility which he described as "the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds."[4] According to The Oregonian, Ryan Bundy has stated that the group wants the Hammonds to be released and for the federal government to relinquish control of the Malheur National Forest.[49]

At 4:02 p.m. on January 2, the official Facebook page of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge posted an update that read "The Refuge will be CLOSED until further notice."[50] The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which operates the MNWR, said that all of its staff were safe and the refuge was closed until further notice.[51] The federal Bureau of Land Management announced that its office in Burns would be closed until further notice.[52][53]

As of January 2, the militia leaders claimed to have 150 armed personnel available at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. A reporter personally witnessed "no more than a dozen" potential combatants.[54] A separate report by Oregon Public Broadcasting put the number of the militia at the MNWR at "between six and 12."[55] In a statement posted to the Facebook page of the Idaho "3 Percenters" (one of the militias identified by media as involved in the takeover), the group disclaimed involvement, stating that the seizure was "carried out by a small group of persons who chose to carry out this takeover after the rally."[56]

Maureen Peltier, a soldier with the Washington Army National Guard who traveled to Burns to participate in the protest, reported to media on January 3 that the militias who had seized control of the MNWR were in "high spirits" and had "a good security team." Peltier also said that the occupiers were moving children onto the MNWR grounds and had called upon like-minded persons to join them.[57]

The leader of the occupation, Ammon Bundy, and some other Oregon occupiers are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church) and have cited the Mormon scripture as justification for defying government authority. One member of the group told the media that his name is "Captain Moroni," a reference to a heroic warrior figure in the Book of Mormon. After the occupation began, the LDS Church issued a statement saying that an armed occupation was not sanctioned by the religion (see below).[58][59] The event was connected with the lengthy and complex history of conflict between Mormons and the federal government;[60] Alex Beam writes that the standoff has its roots in "Mormon religious fanaticism".[61]

Standoff

This USGS satellite image of the MNWR headquarters complex is labeled to show key locations referenced in news reports of the militia occupation.

At 11:00 a.m. on January 3, Ammon Bundy called a press conference at the MNWR headquarters building. During the conference, Bundy said the ultimate goal of the occupiers was to "get the economics here in the county revived" for logging and outdoor recreation, and claimed that they were being supplied by area residents.[62] Despite the smaller estimates of militia at the refuge in early press reports, a reporter from The Oregonian who attended the press conference said he believed there were roughly 20 to 25 people present and that the militants had deployed into defensive positions with elements manning a roadblock, guarding the headquarters entry, and stationed in a fire lookout usually used to watch for forest fires. Additional militiamen occupied the facility's buildings.[63]

On January 4, Steve Grasty, the judge-executive of Harney County, emailed Ammon Bundy requesting he leave Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. According to Grasty, he received "roughly 100 'F you'" emails in reply.[64]

As of January 4, the persons occupying the MNWR announced they had organized into an umbrella group called Citizens for Constitutional Freedom.[65] At 1:37 p.m. the same day, Dwight and Steve Hammond voluntarily reported to Terminal Island FCI in California to begin serving the remaining four years of their prison sentences.[66] In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, Ammon Bundy's brother, Ryan, said that he and the other persons occupying the MNWR would quit the property "if the county people tell us to". Following the interview, Sheriff David Ward issued a statement requesting the Bundys and others to leave. In response, Ryan Bundy said he wasn't convinced Ward spoke for the county.[67] In a public meeting on January 6 held at the Harney County fairgrounds nearly every attending person, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting, raised their hands on a question asking if the occupiers should leave. Ward then announced he would be willing to provide passage to the occupiers to the county line if they would depart voluntarily.[68]

The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a publicity stunt by sending a delegation to the area to give vegan jerky to militia members.[69][70]

Negotiations

On January 7, Sheriff Ward, accompanied by the Sheriff of Malheur County, Oregon and the Sheriff of Tillamook County, Oregon, met with Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne. The meeting occurred in what was described as "one of the most remote spots in Oregon", at a location along Lava Bed Road, approximately 20 miles from the site of the occupation. In the meeting, which lasted between five and ten minutes, Ward repeated his earlier offer to provide safe passage to the militants to the Harney County line. 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. After the meeting, Ward continued to Diamond, Oregon, a town in the central part of Harney County which has a population of 88. There he met with residents.[71][72]

The next day, the 3 Percenters of Idaho, an Idaho-based militia who had earlier disclaimed support for the occupation, announced it was sending some of its members to "secure a perimeter" around the MNWR compound and prevent "a Waco-style situation". Bundy welcomed the arrival of the additional militants saying "If they weren't here, I'd worry" about a law enforcement raid. [56][73]

Response of authorities

Initial reaction

On January 2, the Harney County Sheriff's Office reported the Oregon State Police was "handling the incident". At the same time, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the agency was "aware" of the situation.[4] Late that same day, The Guardian observed that there was no visible law enforcement presence in the area.[42] Authorities had not approached the refuge or blocked access to it.[3]

On January 3, Sheriff David M. Ward issued a statement asking residents to avoid the scene and saying that the refuge occupiers aimed to overthrow the government: "These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives, to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States."[74][75] The following day, Ward said at a press conference: "I want to directly address the people at the wildlife refuge: You said you were here to help the citizens of Harney County. That help ended when a peaceful protest became an armed and unlawful protest. The Hammonds have turned themselves in. It is time for you to leave our community. Go home, be with your own families and end this peacefully."[76]

Late on January 3, Oregon State Police officials announced that a multi-agency command center would be established the following day to coordinate a response to the situation. The command center was ultimately set-up at Lincoln Junior High School in Burns, which had been closed as part of a district-wide school shutdown.[77] U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon said that he had been briefed by the special agent in charge of the Portland FBI field office and said that federal, state, and local law enforcement were monitoring the situation in detail.[75][78]

Also that same day, the FBI assumed the lead role in the investigation and announced that it was working with local and state authorities to seek "a peaceful resolution to the situation". The statement also read: "Due to safety considerations for both those inside the refuge as well as the law enforcement officers involved, we will not be releasing any specifics with regards to the law enforcement response."[79][80] It was later announced by Sheriff David Ward that the Harney County Court had officially appealed for police reinforcements from the sheriffs of neighboring counties.[81] Meanwhile, media reported that the entrance gates to Burns Municipal Airport had been blocked by the Oregon State Police using patrol cars and armored vehicles. Despite the increased presence in and around Burns, by the end of the day on January 4, media noted that no overt police presence was visible in the thirty miles between the town and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, seemingly underscoring the cautious approach authorities sought to take.[77]

In taking a cautious approach, federal authorities are thought to "be mindful of prior clashes with people who did not recognize government authority", such as Ruby Ridge 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.[82]

Disruption caused

All schools in the district closed on January 4 as a safety precaution taken by the school district.[77] On January 5, the county sheriff's office announced it would host a community meeting to "discuss safety concerns and the disruptions" on the next day.[83]

Escalation

On January 5, The Guardian, quoting a confidential source, reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was preparing to cut power and telephone lines to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, while authorities would seal roads leading to the MNWR headquarters compound. Temperatures in Harney County at the time were well below freezing and the move would be designed to "freeze out" the occupiers. Speaking of a potential police siege, Ammon Bundy said occupiers were "ready and waiting" and, in response to the reports, the group began making preparations to repel a potential attack, including moving logs and construction equipment across access roads to the Refuge.[84][85][84] An Oregon Public Broadcasting report later discredited the Guardian's story and the occupiers "stood down" from a higher state of readiness.[85]

Sheriff Ward, meanwhile, told reporters that steps were underway to break the occupation and that the measures authorities were taking would "not be visible to the public". Ward also reported law enforcement personnel from nine Oregon counties had begun converging to Harney County in response to the Harney County Court's earlier plea for help, but that they would be used to bolster courthouse security and increase the visible police presence in populated areas, rather than respond to the situation at the MNWR.[84][86] Among the agencies to send personnel were the sheriffs of Wasco, Clackamas, Marion, Deschutes, Crook, Umatilla, Multnomah, Baker, and Linn Counties, along with the Burns Paiute tribal police.[8][64][87][88][89] The sheriffs of Benton and Yamhill Counties both declined a request to deploy some of their deputies to Harney County due to what they described as existing manpower shortages.[89] In a statement reported by KVAL-TV, Ward assured residents that deputies from outside the county would not "harass the good citizens of Harney County" and called on residents to form a "united front".[90] Ward also warned that any resident providing supplies to the occupiers was "prolonging the situation" and that the militia members would face criminal charges.[91]

On January 7, the Harney Electric Cooperative began disconnecting power to the fire guard station in the MNWR in the community of Frenchglen. According to officials, the move was done to prevent militants from relocating to other sites within the Refuge.[92]

On January 8, members of other militias met with the occupiers and asked their members to establish a perimeter around the occupied area to avoid a "Waco-style situation".[93]

Reactions

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 said it was "not exactly what I thought should happen".[42]

Asked about the incident, Mike Vanderboegh, a founder of the 3 Percenters militia, described the occupiers as "a collection of fruits and nuts", described John Ritzheimer as a "fool", and said Ammon Bundy had "a John Brown complex".[94]

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 "we 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."[95]

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."[82] 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.[96] 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.[82]

In a meeting on January 6, local residents nearly unanimously agreed they wanted the occupiers 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 milita group over land use issues.[97]

Federal, state, local, and tribal government

In a speech in the U.S. House of Representatives during the occupation, Rep. Greg Walden said he disapproved of the actions taken by the militants but "understood and hear their anger."

On January 4, 2016, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, "ultimately 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.[98]

In a statement posted to its website, 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.[99]

The governing council of the Burns Paiute Tribe, an Indian nation whose borders straddled Harney County, declared the occupiers 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.[100]

State Representative Cliff Bentz, who represents the region in the Oregon House of Representatives, said that the outside groups do not represents Burns or Harney County, saying, "They're trying to use the misfortune of the Hammonds to further the interests of the Bundys."[101]

Congressman Walden 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."[102]

In a January 6 press release, the Western State Sheriffs Association (WSSA), an organization representing 800 sheriffs in the American West, 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."[103]

Organizations

The Oregon Cattleman'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."[104]

On January 4, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement condemning the militia actions and stating, "While the disagreement occurring in Oregon about the use of federal lands is not a Church matter, Church leaders 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."[59][105] The church also released an excerpt from a 1992 speech by Dallin H. Oaks, a senior Mormon religious leader, criticizing the "excessive zeal" of "those patriots who are participating in or provisioning private armies and making private preparations for armed conflict".[59]

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 occupiers."[106]

Social media

The militiamen 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).[107][108] Twitter hashtags such as "#OregonUnderAttack," "#VanillaISIS"[108] (a portmanteau of Vanilla Ice and ISIS),[citation needed] "#Yeehawdists" (Yeehaw and Jihadists), "#Yokelharam" (Yokel and Boko Haram) were used.[109][110][111]

Debates over the definition of terrorism

See also: Definitions of terrorism

There has been considerable traditional and social media coverage considering how the media and law enforcement describe and have reacted to the militia occupation.[112][113][114] The reaction to the white and Christian occupiers has been contrasted with that to black protesters, e.g. around the Ferguson protests and the Black Lives Matter movement,[115] or to Muslims.[116] Some commentators have described decisions not to label the occupiers as terrorists as an example of white privilege.[117]

The occupiers 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.[118] Ammon Bundy was initially reported to have tweeted comparing himself to Rosa Parks,[119] but this was later reported to have been a hoax account.[120]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Militia at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge lays out claims against US". WJHL. January 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  2. ^ http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/2014/04/15/ron-paul-on-bundy-ranch-feds-wont-give-up-easily-may-return-with-waco-like-force/
  3. ^ a b c d e Zaitz, Les (January 3, 2016). "Militia continue occupation of Oregon refuge, police keep low profile". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. ISSN 8750-1317. Archived from the original on January 3, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Stack, Liam (January 2, 2016). "Militiamen Occupy Oregon Wildlife Refuge in Protest of Ranchers' Prison Terms". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
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