Oregon occupation: Armed activists in stand-off with FBI over control of remote corner of wilderness

Protest over jailing of ranchers grows into campaign against ‘oppressive’ federal policies

Militiamen have occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near the tiny town of Burns (Reuters)

Ammon Bundy, the leader of an armed militia group occupying an empty government building in a remote corner of the Oregon wilderness, has insisted it is “truly a peaceful protest”.

The group, which Mr Bundy said had named itself Citizens for Constitution Freedom, seized the unmanned headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, following a demonstration in the nearby town of Burns to support two local ranchers who were due to return to prison today to serve out extended sentences for arson.

Dwight Hammond, 73, and his son Steven, 46, were convicted in 2012 for setting fires on federal land to protect their own property from wildfires and invasive plants, but a judge ruled in October that their original 12-month sentence did not satisfy the federal minimum, raising it to five years.

Over the weekend, the Hammonds distanced themselves from Mr Bundy and his fellow protesters. Yet the occupation of the refuge HQ is not simply a protest at the ranchers’ treatment, but also a demonstration of the anger felt by many activists over what they see as oppressive federal land policies.

The Hammond ranch is one of many bordering the refuge, which is run by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Its growth, Mr Bundy claimed, has displaced some 100 ranches over the past century. The land, he said, is “rightfully owned by the people,” not the government. The group’s ostensible objective is to see it turned over to local authorities, to be managed without federal meddling.

The local sheriff, David Ward, said the protesters “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.”

Law enforcement agencies were reportedly planning to establish a command centre close to the Refuge HQ last night, with the FBI saying it hoped for a “peaceful resolution”. Protesters at the site said they had so far encountered no law enforcement response whatsoever. The group declined to reveal their numbers, citing security concerns; Mr Bundy had claimed as many as 100 people were involved in the protest, while other reports suggested the occupying force was closer to a dozen.

This morning, a handful of pickup trucks could be seen parked outside the refuge HQ, which is made up of a cluster of one-storey buildings alongside a high watchtower, in an otherwise near-featureless expanse blanketed by winter snow. The refuge, which in warmer months attracts hikers, hunters and birdwatchers, is home to 320 bird and 58 mammal species.

Mr Bundy, 40, is the son of Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher whose clash with the federal authorities made national headlines in 2014, when his supporters staged a stand-off with agents from the US Bureau of Land Management over his failure to pay fees for grazing cattle on federal land.

Protesters keeping watch at the entrance to the refuge HQ said they had also been involved in the Bundy ranch protest, including a man who identified himself only as “Fluffy Unicorn” and said he had served three tours overseas as a US Marine.

Anti-government activist Blaine Cooper, 36, wore combat fatigues and carried a copy of the US Constitution. A patch on his uniform described the Second Amendment – which gun rights supporters say enshrines the right to bear arms – as “America’s original homeland security”.

However, the First Amendment – which protects free speech and thus the right to protest – is the more significant, Mr Cooper said. “Words are more powerful than guns,” he said. “The First Amendment is more important, but the Second Amendment is there to protect the first.”

Few of the protesters were visibly armed, though Mr Bundy has said he and his fellow protesters “will not rule out violence if law enforcement tries to remove them”. The group plans to occupy the refuge indefinitely. “We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” he added.

Locals including other ranchers had offered the protesters food and support, Mr Cooper claimed, though he acknowledged that the climate was unfavourable. “It’s freezing!” he said. “Why couldn’t this happen in Hawaii?”