Oregon militia takes down refuge fence

Reporters covering the protest posted photos of the movement’s leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy untwisting the braided wire fence as part of the brothers’ plans to replace that section of fencing with a gate that will give local ranchers the ability to let their animals graze on the federal land.

The escalating holdout in southeastern Oregon started 10 days ago when the brothers organized an “occupy” movement at a fowl sanctuary to voice local ranchers’ disagreement with the recent imprisonment of Dwight and Steven Hammond, two ranchers whom local authorities charged with setting fires on their property with the intention of letting it transfer to and damage nearby federal land.

Since Jan. 2, the occupiers have resided at a building on the Malheur property. Over the weekend, the group asked for additional supplies, including sleeping bags, toiletries, food and coffee.

Lawmakers from Oregon and surrounding states visited the protesters over the weekend.

Federal authorities and local law enforcement have not responded to reports of the group’s Monday activities.