The cavalry has come to Harney County, it seems.
More than two days after armed, anti-government militants took control of a handful of federal administrative buildings at an Eastern Oregon wildlife refuge, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward posted an online video tonight, telling county residents to expect some new faces: law enforcement from other counties.
“These folks aren’t here to harass the good citizens of Harney County,” Ward says of the influx of law enforcement. “They’re here to help us maintain a safe and secure environment while we work through the issues at hand.”
The announcement comes hours after Ward asked the armed protestors to go home. The militants have said they want to turn over land from the Malheur National Wildlife Reserve to local ranchers and timber interests, but at least one has indicated they’ll also leave if county residents asked. A later statement from the group’s leader, Nevada rancher Ammon Bundy, contradicts that sentiment.
The protest will end when the Hammonds are freed and the federal government gives up control of the Malheur National Forest. #OccupyMalheur
— Ammon Bundy (@Ammon_Bundy) January 5, 2016
“I know that this county will put up a united front and work through this just the way they have through every other situation we’ve faced,” Ward says in the video.
The FBI is heading up the response to the situation, but has chosen a hands-off approach.
In a new video message, Sheriff Ward talks to the public about outside agency patrols in #HarneyCounty — and shares a few words of thanks and encouragement.
Posted by Harney County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, January 4, 2016
I’m pretty sure when hillbillies say “the South will rise again”, they don’t mean southern Oregon.
Nothing wrong with civil disobedience to protest stuff. However, the difference between this and the occupy movement is that OccupyBirdGiftShop is heavily armed. I wonder what would have happened if OccupyWallStreet had gone in with assault rifles?
Not comparable (the occupy wall street comment). A few rednecks in a remote building is totally different than thousands of armed people in the middle of a city center. Come on.
No way that federal land ‘belongs’ solely to the citizens of Harney County; it belongs to all Americans.
The saddest thing about this is that these guys aren’t trying to liberate the land for the people – civilian, indigenous or otherwise. They want to strip it for lumber and cattle! How fucking twisted is that!? And the FBI is taking a “hands off approach”??? All this while truly peaceful activists are treated like terrorists. Excuse me while I throw up a little…
Unless out of the area law enforcement people are sworn in as Harney county deputies, they are nothing but uniformed civilians. Right?
Actually, discounting toting weapons, this and the stupid ‘Occupy’ have many things in common, much more than one would think.
ujifoyt: Wrong. FBI agents or state troopers or National Guard units would not be required be deputized by Harney County.
^^^Other county deputies would, though. Their jurisdiction is only in their county.