02:03USA: Armed militia continue to occupy forest reserve in Oregon
A group of armed militants continued to occupy a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon on Sunday, in an attempt to keep two local ranchers from going to prison. The group seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, located around 50 miles (80km) from Burns on Saturday, after two of its members were scheduled to go to prison for setting fire to federal government land.
Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's son Ammon spoke to press, and said that the militia won't act in an aggressive manner and that they are there to "defend the people". He went on to urge people to join and show support to the militiamen, saying "We need people to come. We need you to come because we need to be united and we need to have a strong defence. That's the way we can make sure that there's no lives that are lost here."
The siege came after some 300 people marched through Burns on Saturday, protesting the prosecution of county ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond. Cliven Bundy's three sons- Ammon, Ryan, and Mel are among the militia who took the protest further and went on to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. The refuge was unoccupied at the time.
02:03A group of armed militants continued to occupy a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon on Sunday, in an attempt to keep two local ranchers from going to prison. The group seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, located around 50 miles (80km) from Burns on Saturday, after two of its members were scheduled to go to prison for setting fire to federal government land.
Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's son Ammon spoke to press, and said that the militia won't act in an aggressive manner and that they are there to "defend the people". He went on to urge people to join and show support to the militiamen, saying "We need people to come. We need you to come because we need to be united and we need to have a strong defence. That's the way we can make sure that there's no lives that are lost here."
The siege came after some 300 people marched through Burns on Saturday, protesting the prosecution of county ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond. Cliven Bundy's three sons- Ammon, Ryan, and Mel are among the militia who took the protest further and went on to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. The refuge was unoccupied at the time.