Ammon Bundy urges protesters staying at the Malheur national wildlife refuge to ‘please stand down’ as further arrests are made

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Militia leader Ammon Bundy presented a loud-and-clear message to the protesters who continue to stand their ground at the occupied refuge in rural Oregon: it’s time to go home.

After a Wednesday afternoon hearing in federal court in Portland, Mike Arnold, Bundy’s lawyer, read a statement from Bundy, who was arrested on a remote highway on Tuesday afternoon in a confrontation and shootout with police that resulted in the death of protest spokesman LaVoy Finicum.

“To those who remain at the refuge, I love you. Let us take this fight from here,” Arnold said, standing on the steps of the downtown courthouse, reading a written statement from Ammon. “Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is ours for now, in the courts.”

He added: “LaVoy is one of the greatest men and greatest patriots I have ever seen,” and further called on law enforcement officials to let protesters leave the occupation without facing repercussions. “I am asking the federal government to allow the people at the refuge to go home without being prosecuted.”

The call for an end to the standoff came after the first court appearance of Bundy and six other protesters who were also arrested on Tuesday and are facing federal felony charges of conspiracy to impede officers through the use of force, intimidation or threats.

Late Wednesday evening, police announced they had made three more arrests associated with the militia.

Duane Ehmer, a 45-year-old from Irrigon, Oregon, Dylan Anderson, a 34-year-old Utah man, and Jason Patrick, a 43-year-old protester from Georgia were all taken into custody, according to the FBI.

Police said the three men voluntarily left the Malheur national wildlife refuge and turned themselves in to FBI officials who were waiting at a checkpoint outside the site.

They were arrested without incident and all face felony charges.

Ehmer was well known at the occupation, often photographed riding his horse Hellboy while carrying a large American flag and wearing a USA jacket.

Patrick had become the de facto spokesman for the militia by Wednesday morning after Bundy and other high-profile militiamen were arrested.

Tuesday’s arrests on a remote highway outside the wildlife refuge, which activists have occupied since 2 January, had left the remaining protesters leader-less and debating whether to continue the occupation or retreat.



Bundy and six other defendants from the first round of arrests are scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Friday when a judge will determine whether to release them on bail. They will remain in Portland jail until then.

Inside the packed courtroom, federal prosecutors argued that the militia members should remain behind bars as the case moves forward because they are part of “an ongoing conspiracy” and could return to the occupation, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The other defendants who appeared in court on Wednesday are Ryan Bundy, who is Ammon’s brother, Bryan Cavalier, Shawna Cox, Ryan Payne, Joseph Oshaughnessy and Pete Santilli. Jon Ritzheimer, another prominent occupation leader, was arrested in Arizona on Tuesday and was not present at the Portland hearing.

Attorneys for the militia members argued in court that the defendants mostly lacked criminal histories and should be released on bail.

On Wednesday night, FBI officials announced they had stopped five additional people leaving the refuge during the day – but had ultimately decided to release them. It was unclear if any additional militia members remained at the refuge.