Indictment says protesters in OR occupation ‘threatened violence’

The jailed leader of the armed group that took over a national wildlife refuge in eastern OR is speaking out after he and 15 others were indicted by a federal grand jury. They say the only use of force was by police who shot and killed Finicum during a January 26 traffic stop.

Bundy, his older brother, Ryan Bundy, and others were arrested last week.

The indictment includes four people who remain at the wildlife refuge as of Thursday: Sean Anderson, David Lee Fry, Jeff Wayne Banta and Sandra Lynn Pfeifer Anderson.

The three-page indictment filed Wednesday said that the issues in the area began last October, when two people involved went to Harney County to warn of “extreme civil unrest” if demands were not met. The following month, the people charged worked to recruit other people, and they traveled with other people to Harney County “to intimidate and coerce the population”, prosecutors said.

The holdouts have said they are not leaving without a guarantee that they won’t be arrested.

It doesn’t appear that protestors in OR will be going home anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the government has beefed up security at the national wildlife refuge as the standoff has created tensions in the region and shows no sign of ending soon.

Bundy said he is in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day and hasn’t spoken yet to his father, Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who sent a letter to the Harney County sheriff Monday saying “We the People” will retain possession of the refuge. However, while he had previously told them to leave the refuge and said “this fight is ours for now in the courts”, this week he changed his message.

Bundy defended taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge as a way to educate people about injustices by federal officials toward ranchers and others.

Preserves and other national sites run by the Fish and Wildlife Service are being extra vigilant, said Gavin Shire, the agency’s chief of public affairs. That means as long as the holdouts stand their ground at Malheur, Cox will remain behind bars. He was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.

His death led to protests this week by those supporting the occupation, while local residents rallied to urge the holdouts to leave, further dividing the strained community.