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| Oregon standoff escalates as FBI surrounds Malheur wildlife refuge – live updates | Oregon standoff escalates as FBI surrounds Malheur wildlife refuge – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.17am GMT | |
| 03:17 | |
| David Fry, the 27-year-old occupier from Ohio, has become increasingly agitated on the live stream, shouting at Fiore and his fellow protesters. | |
| Fry made headlines when he posted video of himself using government computers to create a website for the occupation. | |
| According to a recent profile of Fry by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), his antics led many in the militia to grow frustrated with him, with some wanting him to leave. | |
| Fry had previously communicated with militia spokesman LaVoy Finicum online, and Finicum had reportedly encouraged the young occupier to stay. | |
| Fry’s family told the radio station that he has frequently had problems with authorities. | |
| “He’s had his problems, some of which he’s brought on himself,” his grandfather, William Fry, told OPB. | |
| “He gets pulled over for busted tail-lights, and instead of just rolling down his window and handing over his insurance, he screams at the officer: ‘What the [expletive] do you want?’ And right there, a regular thing turns into him in handcuffs.” | |
| Fry also often writes about conspiracy theories online. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.18am GMT | |
| 3.13am GMT | |
| 03:13 | |
| The occupation at Malheur started on 2 January in response to the conviction of two local ranchers on arson charges. Our explainer has more on the background to the 40-day standoff: | |
| Related: Oregon militia explainer: background to the standoff | |
| 3.06am GMT | |
| 03:06 | |
| The occupiers sound increasingly agitated – there is a lot of shouting. | |
| Fiore tells them she needs them to stay alive. The only way to tell your story, or write your book, is to stay alive, she says. | |
| The militia members express anger over the death of LaVoy Finicum, the militia spokesman who was killed by law enforcement officials. | |
| They insist they are law-abiding. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.08am GMT | |
| 3.00am GMT | |
| 03:00 | |
| 'We’re not leaving without our weapons' | |
| The occupiers say that FBI negotiators have asked them to walk out towards the vehicles (we can’t currently confirm this). | |
| Sandy Anderson tells Fiore: “We’re not leaving without our weapons.” | |
| A male voice added: “At what point do we say ‘we’ve done enough’? And enough is enough is enough?” | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.02am GMT | |
| 2.57am GMT | |
| 02:57 | |
| Sam Levin has been speaking to Mike Arnold, attorney for jailed militia leader Ammon Bundy. | |
| In a phone interview Arnold said he was watching the events unfold and that he was hoping Fiore could negotiate a non-violent end to the standoff. | |
| Arnold, who has repeatedly released statements from Bundy over the last two weeks urging the final occupiers to surrender, told the Guardian: | |
| We’re voicing support for them to stand down peacefully and fight this in the courts. | |
| I’m just praying that everybody takes a deep breath, relaxes and that they walk out and start the fight in the courts. | |
| 2.55am GMT | |
| 02:55 | |
| Paul Lewis | |
| The live audio broadcast from the refuge is providing a window into confusion, mayhem and panic. | |
| The four occupiers are clearly confused as to how to respond to the FBI’s decision to surround the refuge, and appear divided over how to respond. | |
| “If they figure out how to cut our communications, then we’re probably dead,” one woman inside the refuge said a few minutes ago. | |
| Moments later they appeared to be discussing leaving the refuge en masse. | |
| 2.54am GMT | |
| 02:54 | |
| In the live stream audio, occupier David Fry can be heard shouting that they have broken no laws and demanding that FBI agents leave the refuge surrounds. | |
| 2.51am GMT | |
| 02:51 | |
| Fiore has suggested that the occupants tell FBI negotiators that they will walk out of the refuge together, if law enforcement officials allow Fiore to come to the refuge. | |
| “There’s been one martyr too many,” Fiore tells them. | |
| The assemblywoman says she is currently at the airport. | |
| 2.48am GMT | 2.48am GMT |
| 02:48 | 02:48 |
| Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, a Nevada lawmaker who supported rancher Cliven Bundy in a 2014 standoff with the government, called the occupiers at around 6.15pm PST, saying she wanted to act as a negotiator between the FBI and the protesters. | Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, a Nevada lawmaker who supported rancher Cliven Bundy in a 2014 standoff with the government, called the occupiers at around 6.15pm PST, saying she wanted to act as a negotiator between the FBI and the protesters. |
| In a call broadcast on YouTube, Fiore said to the occupiers: | In a call broadcast on YouTube, Fiore said to the occupiers: |
| We need a negotiator on the phone immediately. | We need a negotiator on the phone immediately. |
| I will come to the refuge … We cannot afford more bloodshed. | I will come to the refuge … We cannot afford more bloodshed. |
| I’m willing to negotiate with the FBI for a peaceful resolution. | I’m willing to negotiate with the FBI for a peaceful resolution. |
| Fiore said she had arrived in Oregon and was willing to come to the occupation to help the two sides communicate in an effort to avoid violence. | Fiore said she had arrived in Oregon and was willing to come to the occupation to help the two sides communicate in an effort to avoid violence. |
| Occupier Sandy Anderson shouted to the FBI in response: | Occupier Sandy Anderson shouted to the FBI in response: |
| You need to stand down. [Fiore] says you need to stand down. She’s coming here to settle this peacefully! Not your way! | You need to stand down. [Fiore] says you need to stand down. She’s coming here to settle this peacefully! Not your way! |
| 2.45am GMT | 2.45am GMT |
| 02:45 | 02:45 |
| Ammon Bundy, the leader of the militia group that seized the refuge on 2 January, told his attorneys last week that the four people maintaining the occupation should “go home to your families”. | Ammon Bundy, the leader of the militia group that seized the refuge on 2 January, told his attorneys last week that the four people maintaining the occupation should “go home to your families”. |
| The protest was “never meant to be an armed standoff”, he said, in a cellphone call to his attorneys, Mike Arnold and Lissa Casey, who taped the conversation and relayed it to the holdouts at the refuge 30 miles north-east of Burns. | The protest was “never meant to be an armed standoff”, he said, in a cellphone call to his attorneys, Mike Arnold and Lissa Casey, who taped the conversation and relayed it to the holdouts at the refuge 30 miles north-east of Burns. |
| Bundy is currently held in the Multnomah County jail in Portland on federal felony charges. He was arrested in a traffic stop that also resulted in the fatal shooting of activist Robert LaVoy Finicum. | Bundy is currently held in the Multnomah County jail in Portland on federal felony charges. He was arrested in a traffic stop that also resulted in the fatal shooting of activist Robert LaVoy Finicum. |
| 2.39am GMT | 2.39am GMT |
| 02:39 | 02:39 |
| Sam Levin | Sam Levin |
| The four holdouts at the Malheur national wildlife refuge are David Fry, Jeff Banta, and husband-and-wife Sean Anderson and Sandy Anderson. | The four holdouts at the Malheur national wildlife refuge are David Fry, Jeff Banta, and husband-and-wife Sean Anderson and Sandy Anderson. |
| The FBI surrounded the four remaining occupiers on Wednesday night, prompting a dramatic standoff that was live-streamed on YouTube. | The FBI surrounded the four remaining occupiers on Wednesday night, prompting a dramatic standoff that was live-streamed on YouTube. |
| According to an FBI statement, one of the occupiers drove outside of the police barricades on Wednesday afternoon, and agents attempted unsuccessfully to approach the individual. | According to an FBI statement, one of the occupiers drove outside of the police barricades on Wednesday afternoon, and agents attempted unsuccessfully to approach the individual. |
| On a live stream published by activist Gavin Seim, a woman identifying herself as Sandy Anderson shouted: | On a live stream published by activist Gavin Seim, a woman identifying herself as Sandy Anderson shouted: |
| Please don’t let us die in vain tonight! If they shoot us and kill us, this is going to be a revolution! | Please don’t let us die in vain tonight! If they shoot us and kill us, this is going to be a revolution! |
| Our weapons are at our side. | Our weapons are at our side. |
| 2.36am GMT | 2.36am GMT |
| 02:36 | 02:36 |
| Opening summary | Opening summary |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| Although reports from Burns, Oregon, are still unclear, what we do know is that the FBI is surrounding the Malheur wildlife refuge, where four armed militia members continue their 40-day occupation. | Although reports from Burns, Oregon, are still unclear, what we do know is that the FBI is surrounding the Malheur wildlife refuge, where four armed militia members continue their 40-day occupation. |
| The FBI has released a statement confirming the escalation: | The FBI has released a statement confirming the escalation: |
| At approximately 4.30pm (Pacific) on Wednesday, February 10, 2016, one of the occupiers rode an ATV outside the barricades established by the militia at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. FBI agents attempted to approach the driver, and he returned to the encampment at the refuge at a high rate of speed. | At approximately 4.30pm (Pacific) on Wednesday, February 10, 2016, one of the occupiers rode an ATV outside the barricades established by the militia at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. FBI agents attempted to approach the driver, and he returned to the encampment at the refuge at a high rate of speed. |
| At this time, the FBI has moved to contain the remaining occupiers by placing agents at barricades both immediately ahead of and behind the area where the occupiers are camping. Negotiations between the occupiers and the FBI continue. No shots have been fired. | At this time, the FBI has moved to contain the remaining occupiers by placing agents at barricades both immediately ahead of and behind the area where the occupiers are camping. Negotiations between the occupiers and the FBI continue. No shots have been fired. |
| Greg Bretzing, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon, said: | Greg Bretzing, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon, 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. 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. | 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. 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. |
| Our most up-to-date story is here and we will have more updates as this news continues to develop: | Our most up-to-date story is here and we will have more updates as this news continues to develop: |
| Related: Oregon militia standoff: FBI surrounds remaining occupiers at wildlife refuge | Related: Oregon militia standoff: FBI surrounds remaining occupiers at wildlife refuge |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.38am GMT | at 2.38am GMT |