Who are the armed militia in Oregon standoff and what do they want?
- 8 years ago
HARNEY COUNTY, OREGON — A group of armed militiamen who said they are willing "to kill and be killed" occupied the headquarters of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in support of some local ranchers facing prison on Saturday. But who are these protesters and what do they want?
The protests are being lead by the Bundy brothers, Ammon and Ryan.
They are the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven, who rose to prominence in 2014 when his long-running dispute with the Bureau of Land Management over grazing rights turned into an armed standoff.
Self-styled anti-government militiamen from across the U.S. have joined them.
The occupation is in support of Dwight and Steven Hammond, Oregon father and son ranchers who were recently given extended jail terms for the burning of federal lands. They were found guilty in 2012 on two counts of arson, one of which was to cover up evidence of illegal deer hunting.
Dwight and Steven Hammond both served jail time after being sentenced to three months and one year, respectively, but the sentences were recently increased to five years each on appeal.
The militiamen are basically a hotchpotch of anti-government protesters who believe the federal authorities encroach upon their way of life.
The are demanding the feds return the land to local Oregon ranchers and that the Hammonds not go to jail. The Hammonds, however, have distanced themselves from the Bundys and the occupation.
Contacted by reporters, the occupiers said they have enough supplies to last several years and are armed, although how many weapons they possess is unclear.
Ammon Bundy has also issued a call on Facebook for "all freedom loving people" to travel to Oregon and join them.
The local authorities, meanwhile, have warned people to stay away and said a "collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution."
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The protests are being lead by the Bundy brothers, Ammon and Ryan.
They are the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven, who rose to prominence in 2014 when his long-running dispute with the Bureau of Land Management over grazing rights turned into an armed standoff.
Self-styled anti-government militiamen from across the U.S. have joined them.
The occupation is in support of Dwight and Steven Hammond, Oregon father and son ranchers who were recently given extended jail terms for the burning of federal lands. They were found guilty in 2012 on two counts of arson, one of which was to cover up evidence of illegal deer hunting.
Dwight and Steven Hammond both served jail time after being sentenced to three months and one year, respectively, but the sentences were recently increased to five years each on appeal.
The militiamen are basically a hotchpotch of anti-government protesters who believe the federal authorities encroach upon their way of life.
The are demanding the feds return the land to local Oregon ranchers and that the Hammonds not go to jail. The Hammonds, however, have distanced themselves from the Bundys and the occupation.
Contacted by reporters, the occupiers said they have enough supplies to last several years and are armed, although how many weapons they possess is unclear.
Ammon Bundy has also issued a call on Facebook for "all freedom loving people" to travel to Oregon and join them.
The local authorities, meanwhile, have warned people to stay away and said a "collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution."
-------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.
Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f
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Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
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Instagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus