This is day ten of the standoff between federal state and local law enforcement and armed militias calling on others for support. The stage has been set for quite a showdown, now that the folks calling themselves the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom have reportedly been intimidating local residents. As of Saturday 01.09.2016, the stakes in this conflict have risen dramatically.
So far, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward has bent over backwards to keep things peaceful, but when he's getting reports law enforcement officers being followed along with other members of the community, he feels there's more than enough reason to be concerned. Reports are coming in of individuals sitting in cars outside of the homes of local residents with the engine idling, as strangers monitor the resident's comings and goings.
Some locals and especially those who work for "the government" have reported being followed as they shop for groceries and run their daily errands. Other people have been confronted so as to be engaged in uncomfortable conversations about their employment with "the government". While Sheriff Ward states none of these confrontations have been violent, he says they are clearly designed to intimidate.
Recognizing this standoff could easily escalate into a shootout, the sheriff offered the armed Billy Bobs safe passage out of the facility and off federal property, but to date they've refused to budge until their demands are met. For a review of said demands click here. Things have gotten so bad, Sheriff Ward was forced to issue local residents safety precautions like keeping doors locked, security alarms on, curtains drawn and to report any and all suspicious activity. Sheriff Ward seems out manned, out gunned and in way over his head.
On Monday, the armed Billy Bobs freely told reporters, they were examining government documents they'd grabbed during the takeover and occupation, to determine if ranchers had been discriminated against. The Billy Bobs also posted video of militants driving government vehicles around and using tractors to pull down fences from federal lands on their Facebook page. The Billy Bobs are committing felony after felony in plain view and thus far, getting away with it. And one needn't wonder for a minute how this standoff would play out if Black Lives Matter protestors pulled a stunt like this.
Bottom line: One would think, after damaging and destroying government property, intimidating law abiding citizens and threatening violence against law enforcement personnel if their demands aren't met would have warranted a stronger response by now. One would think the local officials would have demanded help from Federal authorities to force the armed and now menacing Billy Bobs out of their communities. One would think Federal law enforcement officials would understand the Billy Bobs are setting a dangerous precedent others will gladly follow. The podcast below also includes another episode of Box 13 as per usual. Enjoy and share if you so please.
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