BURNS , Ore., Feb. 9 (UPI) — Four occupiers remain at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge five weeks after it was seized and two weeks after a deadly standoff.
The armed group protesting the jailing of two ranchers have been making defiant Internet videos. In one, David Fry, 27, brags about joyriding around the property in a government vehicle.
In another, married couple Sean and Sandy Anderson complain they missed a deadline to leave the occupation without arrest, and thus are marooned in the chilly, isolated building.
Twelve of the original occupiers, including leader Ammon Bundy, have been arrested, and they and the remaining holdouts face felony conspiracy charges with potential six-year prison sentences.
One, Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, was shot and killed by authorities Jan. 26 after he attempted to avoid a roadblock outside the federal property. An FBI video shows Finicum was apparently reaching for his pocket where he had a gun before he was shot.
Although those left at the refuge remain rebellious on the 39th day of the standoff, local residents have suggested the occupiers have worn out their welcome.
A makeshift roadside memorial to Finicum was destroyed Friday by unknown attackers. Ethics complaints were filed Monday with the Oregon State Bar against a law firm that allegedly offered Bundy and his group free legal services.
Homemade posters reading “Get Out” dot the area around Burns, Ore., and billboards supportive of local officials have been displayed.
It’s not clear if the uprising has much public support. At its start, five weeks ago, a Huffington Post/YouGov poll indicated 6 percent of respondents believed the occupiers represented people like themselves
