Oregon militia standoff: FBI surrounds remaining occupiers at wildlife refuge

One of the remaining occupiers at the Malheur wildlife refuge drove outside of police barricades, prompting a dramatic standoff that is being live-streamed



 According to an FBI statement, one of the members of the Oregon militia at the Malheur national wildlife refuge drove outside of the police barricades and agents attempted unsuccessfully to approach them. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters

Sam Levin in San Francisco
@SamTLevin
Wednesday 10 February 2016 21.30 ESTLast modified on Wednesday 10 February 201621.40 EST

The FBI surrounded the four remaining militia members occupying a wildlife refuge in Oregon on Wednesday night, prompting a dramatic standoff that is being live-streamed on YouTube.

According to an FBI statement, one of the occupiers drove outside of the police barricades on Wednesday afternoon, and agents attempted unsuccessfully to approach the individual.

On a live-stream published by activist Gavin Seim, a woman identifying herself as Sandy Anderson shouted: “Please don’t let us die in vain tonight! If they shoot us and kill us, this is going to be a revolution!” She added: “Our weapons are at our side.” Another woman was heard shouting: “They’re going to kill us.”

“At this time, the FBI has moved to contain the remaining occupiers by placing agents at barricades both immediately in front of and behind the area where the occupiers are camping. Negotiations between the occupiers and the FBI continue. No shots have been fired,” the FBI said in the statement released at 6.20pm.

The four holdouts at the Malheur national wildlife refuge are David Fry, Jeff Banta, and husband-and-wife Sean and Sandy Anderson.

Greg Bretzing, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon, said in a statement: “It has never been the FBI’s desire to engage these armed occupiers in any way other than through dialogue, and to that end, the FBI has negotiated with patience and restraint in an effort to resolve the situation peacefully. However, we reached a point where it became necessary to take action in a way that best ensured the safety of those on the refuge, the law enforcement officers who are on scene, and the people of Harney County who live and work in this area.”

Two weeks ago, law enforcement officials arrested protest leader Ammon Bundy and fatally shot militia spokesman LaVoy Finicum, prompting the rapid downfall of the rightwing militia that for weeks had refused to surrender at the wildlife refuge.

 http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...ildlife-refuge