The Oregon Standoff: 1 Dead, 1 Injured, And Where It's Headed
Picture the scene: an armed group of anti-government protesters seize a government building and refuse to leave. It may sound far-fetched, but that’s what is taking place near Burns, Oregon, at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The protesters had originally been holding a peaceful and lawful protest before taking over a the refuge offices. Now, the leaders have been arrested, one of them shot, and another outspoken member killed.
What Were They Protesting?
They were protesting in the name of father-and-son ranchers Steve and Dwight Hammond. The Hammonds were convicted of arson after setting fires that ended up charring public lands. They were both imprisoned and paid a fine of $400,000, but after being out for a time, a federal judge found that their sentences had been too short. Under federal law, they should have served at least five years, but neither man had served near that. They were to return to prison to complete a longer sentence, which sparked the protests. The Hammonds’ lawyer has clarified that they don’t support the protesters’ actions. The protesters then broadened their focus and decried the federal government’s ownership of vast quantities of western lands. The face of the protest was Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy, who led a standoff in 2014 that involved armed supporters of the family and law enforcement.
What’s Happening Now?
Throughout the month of January, law enforcement has been stumped. The protesters holed up inside the wildlife refuge were armed, and some had vowed they would defend themselves to the death. An attempt to apprehend those inside could easily in the deaths of law enforcement and protesters alike. Then, a few of the protesters, including major players like the Bundy brothers, left the refuge to attend a town meeting to defend their actions to the public. While on their way, law enforcement took the chance to apprehend them. Almost all of the protesters went peacefully, except for two: LaVoy Finicum and Ryan Bundy. Ammon Bundy has called on the remaining protesters to abandon the refuge and let the rest of the battle be fought through the courts, but it’s unclear if the protesters will follow his instructions. The FBI has blockaded the refuge so that any protesters planning to leave will be detained, although some reports indicate that protesters began leaving before it was set up.
What About The Two Who Didn’t Go Peacefully?
LaVoy Finicum was one of the most outspoken occupiers. Finicum has told media sources that he would be prepared to die before he was arrested, and that he had “no intention of spending any of [his] days in a concrete box.” The FBI has released aerial footage of the chase that ended in Finicum’s death, and it appears Finicum chose not to surrender like the other protesters. It appears that Finicum swerved around a police barricade and crashed in a snow bank. Law enforcement claims Finicum was shot when he emerged from his vehicle because they believed he was reaching for a firearm. The other protester that was shot, Ryan Bundy, took the bullet in his arm. Law enforcement officials have stated that Bundy, like Finicum, was shot because he refused to surrender. He was treated at a local hospital and has been released into the FBI’s custody.
Where Are the Rest of the Protesters?
So far, eleven protesters have been arrested and, according to the Washington Post, are being charged with “federal felony charges of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from performing their official duties through force, intimidation or threats.” The charges stem primarily from a wave of threats that have washed through Burns, Oregon, the nearest town to the wildlife refuge. Law enforcement and their family members felt targeted, with many reporting that they were being watched, having their tires flattened, and generally felt threatened by the actions of those who are suspected to be occupiers or their supporters. As for those still occupying the refuge, it’s estimated that there are only four or five protesters remaining. They claim to have been informed by the FBI that there is a warrant out for one of them, and they refuse to surrender until the charges are dropped. It is unclear how much longer the protest will drag on, but with only a handful of members left, completely surrounded by law enforcement, some are estimating that the nearly month-long standoff is finally near its end.
Information gathered from: The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/us/oregon-standoff.html), The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/01/27/leaders-of-armed-group-occupying-oregon-wildlife-refuge-arrested-one-killed-in-shootout/ and https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/27/lavoy-finicum-ore-occupier-who-said-hed-rather-die-than-go-to-jail-did-just-that/?tid=a_inl), CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/us/oregon-wildlife-refuge-siege-arrests/), BBC (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35445065), and FOX News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/01/27/arrests-death-brings-new-leadership-for-militia-group-in-oregon-standoff.html).