FBI moves on occupiers

Surrounded by agents, the last four may — after a long negotiation — turn themselves in Thursday morning

BURNS — The FBI on Wednesday moved to contain the four remaining occupiers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge 30 miles south of Burns — with a possible resolution expected to unfold Thursday morning.

And, late Wednesday evening, Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher whose sons led the Malheur occupation, was arrested at Portland International Airport, the Oregonian reported. Bundy was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on federal charges related to his armed standoff with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in 2014

Bundy faces a conspiracy charge to interfere with a federal officer — the same charge lodged against two of his sons, Ammon and Ryan, for their role in the Jan. 2 takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Burns. He also faces weapons charges.

The Bundy Ranch Facebook page reported Cliven Bundy was surrounded by SWAT officers and detained after his arrival from Nevada.

He was arrested at 10:10 p.m., authorities said.

The Bundy patriarch had traveled to Portland with plans to go on to Burns, where four occupiers had been the remaining holdouts of the refuge occupation.

Wednesday’s tense standoff between the FBI and the four occupiers was livestreamed on the Internet, with as many as 64,000 people watching at one time. The YouTube broadcast was streamed by a friend of David Fry, 27, one of the four holdouts.

One of the other holdouts, Sean Anderson, said on the broadcast at 9:20 p.m. that he and the three others planned to turn themselves in on Thursday morning at a refuge checkpoint.

Anderson made his comment to Michele Fiore, a Nevada state legislator, who said on the YouTube channel that she had arrived at the Portland International Airport and was en route to the refuge with Eugene attorney Mike Arnold.

Anderson said the occupiers’ pledge to turn themselves in on Thursday is predicated on Fiore and another sympathetic advocate, the Rev. Franklin Graham III, being at the checkpoint.

Graham is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is one of Billy Graham’s sons. He reportedly also was en route to Burns on Wednesday.

“We are turning ourselves in but we are not surrendering,” Anderson said on the broadcast. “It’s going against everything we believe in, but we’re going to do it.”

Anderson said he and the others plan to leave their personal weapons in their personal vehicles, then will “walk one by the other with the flag, and turn ourselves in at the checkpoint.”

Fiore said on the broadcast after 9:30 p.m. that Arnold had spoken with the FBI, “who have given us their word that they will ‘man down’ (Wednesday) night” and allow the occupiers to meet with Fiore and Graham at the checkpoint on Thursday morning.

Anderson’s and Fiore’s representations could not be independently confirmed by the FBI late Wednesday.

Arnold, the Eugene attorney, represents rancher Ammon Bundy, who led the occupation until his arrest on Jan. 26.

In response to a question earlier Wednesday night about why he was headed to Burns, Arnold said in a text message to The Register-Guard: “I’m just a passive observer and chauffeur.”

Earlier on Wednesday, FBI agents were at barricades both immediately ahead of and behind the area where the occupiers are camping, the FBI said in a news release issued after 6 p.m. Negotiations were continuing and no shots had been fired, the FBI said.

About 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, one of the four holdouts rode an ATV outside a barricade established by the militia at the refuge, the FBI said.

Agents attempted to approach the driver but he sped away and returned to the encampment, the FBI said.

“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,” Special Agent Greg Bretzing said in a statement.

“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.”

The holdouts include Fry, of Blanchester, Ohio; Anderson, 48, of Riggins, Idaho; Anderson’s wife, Sandy Anderson, 47, also of Riggins; and Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nev.

The remaining occupiers were indicted last week by a federal grand jury, along with Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, and 10 others, on federal felony charges of conspiracy and not allowing federal officers to do their jobs.

The holdouts previously had said they would not leave without assurances that they would not be arrested, according to The Associated Press.

The four had refused to leave even after Ammon Bundy and others were arrested on Highway 395, about 20 miles north of Burns, on Jan. 26. The traffic stop ended when police shot and killed Arizona rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, who the FBI says was reaching for a gun.

One of Fiore’s demands has been that authorities release any body or dashboard camera footage of the traffic stop that ended in Finicum’s death, The Las Vegas Sun reported.

The FBI released aerial video footage of the traffic stop but there was no sound.

The YouTube broadcast contained a surreal series of serious, distraught and lighthearted exchanges. At one point, Fiore asked if she should stop at a McDonald’s and pick up some food for the occupiers.

Later, the occupiers shared Scripture together, and were serenaded by song.

But in an earlier exchange about 6 p.m., a woman’s screams could be heard on the channel.

“They either kill us or they want us to give up,” a man’s voice could be heard saying about 6:20 p.m.

Sandy Anderson could be heard saying, “They’re rolling forward right now. They’re about 50 yards away.”

But Fiore counseled restraint.

“They cannot fire upon you with the world watching,” Fiore says. “Listen, I need you guys alive. Don’t walk out with your weapons.”