Ammon Bundy declines sheriff’s offer for safe passage home, for now

“We’re here for the people of Harney County, we’re here because the people were ignored”, Bundy replied to the sheriff demanding a “redress of grievances” before they pack up and go home.

The group objecting to federal land policy seized buildings at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon’s high desert country on Saturday. Ammon Bundy, the leader of the group said Friday he and his followers are not ready to leave even though the sheriff and many locals say the group has overstayed their welcome.

During the meeting, the Sheriff asked Bundy to please leave and respect the wishes of Harney County residents. During that time, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward tried to reason with Bundy and facilitate the group’s surrender of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. A small, armed group occupying the wildlife preserve has said repeatedly that local people should control federal lands, but critics say the lands are already managed to help everyone from ranchers to recreationalists. The county has announced plans to meet with the group on Friday.

“All I am asking is that federal agents allow safe passing for my daughters to come and see me”, he said.

The younger Bundy suggested Ward wasn’t speaking for everyone in the county.

Joe Kingen, Monte’s father, isn’t sure what will come of Bundy’s efforts at the wildlife refuge. “Because of that, there are no planned meetings or calls at this time”, Ward said.

They reported to prison earlier this week.

The occupiers said they have been trying to take good care of the facility and arrived with a large bag of bird seed for the abundant quail that surround the roughly dozen buildings of the refuge’s headquarters.

Spokesmen for the Idaho group said they are there to keep the situation peaceful and reassure the community that it isn’t in danger.

Ammon Bundy and his handful of law-breaking protesters took over the headquarters at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge on Saturday in protest of the prison sentences for two local ranchers.

“I’m here today to ask those folks to go home and let us get back to our lives”, Harney County Sheriff David Ward said Wednesday evening. For others, however, it highlights a decades-long struggle, with federal land managers and environmentalists on one side and rural loggers, ranchers and miners on the other. Bundy is the son of Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher who in 2014 was at the center of a tense standoff with federal officials over grazing rights.

A member of the group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, stands on a watch tower at at the refuge Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, near Burns, Ore. She called the occupation a part of “tactics we Oregonians don’t agree with”.

Overnight, the Bundys’ group said, a group of three men entered the refuge unexpectedly and engaged in a brief confrontation with the occupiers. “We want to be able to see you guys be free”.

The Hammonds, who turned themselves in to authorities on Monday, have said they started a fire in 2001 to reduce the growth of invasive plants and to protect their property from wildfires, CNN affiliate KTVZ-TV reported.

The Hammonds were convicted of arson three years ago and served no more than a year. However, federal prosecutors appealed their sentences and requested that they receive the minimum of five years.