Occupiers of U.S. wildlife refuge indicted

Occupation leader Ammon Bundy and 15 others are charged with conspiracy to impede officers of the United States.

One of the protesters, Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, 54, was shot to death by law enforcement officers as they moved in to arrest the Bundy brothers and others as they traveled along a highway outside the refuge. Five other occupiers, including Bundy, were arrested that day.

Ammon Bundy, seen in a police jail booking photo released by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, has been indicted for conspiracy in the takeover of an OR wildlife refuge. They aren’t leaving until they are reassured they will not be arrested, and that doesn’t seem likely to happen.

No new charges have been added, however, the four people still occupying the Malheur Wildlife Refuge have now been added to the group being charged.

Sean Anderson, 48, and wife Sandy, 47, from Riggins, Idaho, are still involved in the armed standoff with Federal Bureau of Investigation agents alongside David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio, and Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada.

A hearing is set at 9 a.m. Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland to consider Cox’s emergency motion.

Bundy states in the recording that he is in solitary confinement and that he has only recently learned of his indictment.

A group of armed activists, mostly from outside of OR, say they took over the federally-protected wildlife sanctuary to protest government land-use regulations and the imprisonment of two OR ranchers, Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven.

Defence attorneys have said their clients engaged in civil disobedience and are being punished for political speech.

Refuges in southern OR, northern California and Nevada are increasing security measures.

“Go home Oregon State Police”.

“Taking over the refuge was not only right, it was the duty of the people to do”, he says. “You have already killed enough”, the message, which was posted to the Bundy Ranch YouTube page, says.

“We’re not able to provide any specifics at this time, but can confirm that due to the evolving situation in eastern OR, all service stations are on alert and being advised to take appropriate caution”, Gavin Shire, a spokesman for the agency, said in an email response.