'Bring your guns and come': Militiamen including Cliven Bundy's three sons take over Oregon federal building and call 'U.S. patriots' to arms in protest at pending imprisonment of two ranchers
Militia members claimed to have as many as 150 supporters with them at the Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, Oregon
The group said they were not looking to hurt anyone, they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them
The occupation came shortly after a few hundred marchers paraded through Burns, Oregon
The marchers were protesting the prosecution of father and son Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46
The Hammonds were ordered returned to prison by a federal court which ruled their original sentences for setting public fires were insufficient
The group is demanding that the Hammonds be released and that the federal government give up control of the Malheur National Forest
Occupiers include Ammon and Ryan Bundy, sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff over grazing rights
By Kelly Mclaughlin For Dailymail.com and Reuters and Associated Press
Published: 00:40 EST, 3 January 2016 | Updated: 07:25 EST, 3 January 2016
A group of militiamen on Saturday occupied the headquarters of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in support of two brothers who are slated to report to prison on Monday on arson charges - and the protesters don't plan on leaving any time soon, saying it's 'kill or be killed' time.
Militia members claimed to have as many as 150 supporters with them at the Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, which is federal property managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that was closed for the holiday weekend.
They later rescinded the number and said they would not disclose how many people were in the building, because of 'operational security'. Local reporters have said that there only appears to be a dozen cars outside of the building.
'We're planning on staying here for years, absolutely,' Ammon Bundy, one of the occupiers, told the Oregonian via telephone. ‘This is not a decision we've made at the last minute.'
Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan, who is another occupier, are the sons of of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff with the government over grazing rights.
The occupation came shortly after 300 marchers paraded through Burns, Oregon, about 50 miles away, to protest at the prosecution of father and son Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr and Steven Hammond, who were ordered returned to prison by a federal court which ruled their original sentences were insufficient.
The group is demanding that the Hammonds be released and that the federal government give up control of the Malheur National Forest.
Protesters march on Court Avenue in support of an Oregon ranching family facing jail time for arson in Burns, Oregon, on Saturday. Soon after, they occupied Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, Oregon
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Protesters march on Court Avenue in support of an Oregon ranching family facing jail time for arson in Burns, Oregon, on Saturday. Soon after, they occupied Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, Oregon
Ammon Bundy chats with a protester on Saturday during a march on behalf of the Hammond family in Harney County, Oregon
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Ammon Bundy chats with a protester on Saturday during a march on behalf of the Hammond family in Harney County, Oregon
The protesters said they plan on staying at the Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, Oregon for as long as possible
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The protesters said they plan on staying at the Malheur National Wildlife refuge building in Princeton, Oregon for as long as possible
Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, said they lit the fires in 2001 and 2006 to reduce the growth of invasive plants and protect their property from wildfires.
The two were convicted of the arsons three years ago and served time — the father three months, the son one year.
But a judge ruled their terms were too short under federal law and ordered them back to prison for about four years each.
Ammon Bundy, an Idaho militia leader, said that while the occupiers were not looking to hurt anyone, they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them, the Oregonian reported.
Bundy's brother Ryan Bundy, who is also an occupier, told the Oregonian that they're 'willing to kill and be killed' if necessary, adding that the federal officials' actions have been 'in violation of the constitution'.
'The best possible outcome is that the ranchers that have been kicked out of the area, then they will come back and reclaim their land, and the wildlife refuge will be shut down forever and the federal government will relinquish such control,' Ryan Bundy told the Oregonian.
He added: 'What we're doing is not rebellious. What we're doing is in accordance with the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.'
The brothers said, however, that their real goal is to simply start a movement. It is unknown what types of weapons are now at the refuge building, but there are no hostages in the area.
'The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds,' told the Oregonian.
Ammon Bundy posted a video on his Facebook page asking for people to come help him. Below the video is this statement: "(asterisk)(asterisk)ALL PATRIOTS ITS TIME TO STAND UP NOT STAND DOWN!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! COME PREPARED."
Ammon Bundy said the group planned to stay at the refuge indefinitely.
'The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds,' the Oregonian quoted Ammon Bundy as saying.
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