Oregon Town Residents Say They Want To Be Left Alone

BURNS, Ore. (AP) — People
who live in Burns, the small high desert town near a wildlife refuge
that has been occupied by an armed group for a month, say they are sick
of the disruption to their lives.

“We just want to go
back to the way we were,” Barbara Ormond, who owns a quilt store in
downtown Burns, said Saturday. “We want everyone to leave us alone.”

Four
people occupying an Oregon wildlife refuge held their position Saturday
and posted live videos describing their situation and reiterating their
demand that they be allowed to leave without being arrested. The jailed
group’s leader, Ammon Bundy, and 10 others who were arrested earlier in
the week remained in custody. Through his lawyer, Bundy on Saturday
again called on the remaining occupiers to leave.

The FBI has said it’s trying to resolve the situation peacefully.

While
the standoff that originated over federal land-use policies has led to
filled-up hotels and restaurants as police, protesters and media have
flocked to the area, locals say the conflict is upsetting and pitting
neighbor against neighbor.

“It’s tearing the community apart,”
said Bonnie Angleton, who owns a gift shop downtown. “I care about the
people who live here.”

Kate Marsh, an artist in town, said many
residents work for the government, while others have their livelihoods
depend on government agencies. “There is some dissension in the
community,” Marsh said.

Authorities say Bundy, the leader of the
group that seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and others used
the social media and other platforms to summon recruits to join their
takeover.

Court documents against the 11 occupiers under arrest
show FBI agents have scrutinized social media postings, interviews and
online talk shows that have been made during the standoff that began
Jan. 2.

Bundy and several other jailed leaders appeared Friday in
federal court in Portland, where a judge denied their release. U.S.
Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman said Bundy, his brother Ryan Bundy and
Ryan Payne pose a danger to the community, and she is concerned they
would not follow orders to return to Oregon for criminal proceedings.

The
only woman arrested so far in the standoff, Shawna Cox, will be allowed
to go home while her case makes its way through the court system. But
Beckerman said that won’t happen until after the armed occupation ends.

Ammon
Bundy’s lawyer, Lissa Casey, said her client is not aligned with those
remaining at the refuge near Burns and he wants to go back to his
family.

Bundy and his followers took over the refuge to demand
that the federal government turn public lands over to local control.
They have complained about what they say are onerous federal rules
governing grazing and mining rights across the West.

Court
documents detail some of the evidence against the occupiers. The charges
against the defendants say the refuge’s 16 employees have been
prevented from reporting to work because of threats of violence.

A
criminal complaint filed earlier this week makes reference to an online
video that showed Bundy saying the group planned to stay for several
years. He called on people to “come out here and stand,” adding: “We
need you to bring your arms.”

Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, the group’s
spokesman, was killed Tuesday night in a confrontation with the FBI and
Oregon State Police on a remote road. Bundy and four others were
arrested during the encounter.

At one point, a couple of dozen
ranchers and other protesters were holed up at the refuge, but they
began clearing out after the arrests and killing.

Lawyers for
Ammon Bundy said they have recorded a phone call with their client
telling the four people remaining at the refuge that it is “his
authentic desire for them to stand down.” In the call released by his
lawyers, Bundy said “go home to your families.”

The FBI on
Thursday released a video showing Finicum’s death, to counter claims he
did nothing to provoke his killing. In the aerial video, Finicum is
pulled over in his truck but then takes off in the vehicle and plows
into a snowbank because of a roadblock. He gets out and has his hands up
at first, then appears to reach toward his jacket pocket at least
twice. He is shot and falls to the snow.

The FBI said a loaded handgun was found in the pocket.

___

Bellisle reported from Seattle.

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