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In Oregon, angry protest over killing of wildlife refuge occupier

 
Published Feb. 2, 2016

BURNS, Ore. — Hundreds of angry protesters shouted at one another Monday on the steps of the local courthouse in a town deeply divided by the month-long armed occupation of a nearby wildlife refuge by anti-government extremists.

More than 200 local residents carried signs that said, "Get out of our town," and "We love the FBI" and screamed "Go Home! Go Home!" at a group of nearly as many antigovernment militia members who had come to protest last week's police killing of LaVoy Finicum, a spokesman for the occupiers who took over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

"I'm here because I live here, and I want the militia to go back home," said Ramona Bishop, a local Harney County resident carrying a sign that said "Thank you, FBI."

The local residents timed their protest to start 30 minutes before a rally called by the antigovernment organizations angry over the death of Finicum, who was shot dead by an Oregon state trooper on Jan. 26 in an operation that also yielded the arrests of the occupation's primary leaders.

"We would have a lot more people here, but it's the middle of the day and people are at work," said Mary Jo Evers, a local resident at the protest.

The antigovernment protesters, many wearing camouflage and waving American flags, stood across the sidewalk from the local residents, carrying signs that said "Finicum was murdered in cold blood," "Blood on government hands" and "All lives matter." Some carried pictures of Finicum.

"I'm here to protest the injustice of the federal government and the unlawful killing of a rancher," said Brian Sowle, who drove from Caldwell, Idaho, for the protest.

A group called the Pacific Patriots Network had issued a "call to action" last week, asking like-minded antigovernment activists from across the country to come to Burns to hold a peaceful protest over Finicum's death.

Kevin Rhodes, who wore a patch on his jacket that said "Southern Oregon Constitutional Guard," yelled at the local protesters and referred to the fact that an 18-year-old female was in the car Finicum was driving just before he was shot.

"What if they killed an 18-year-old girl?" Rhodes shouted. "They were shooting at an 18-year-old girl! So you're okay with them killing children?"

The FBI released a video of the shooting that shows Finicum driving at high speed toward a police roadblock, swerving and getting stuck in a snowbank. He emerges from the car with his hands up, then lowers them twice. FBI officials said it appeared he was reaching for a loaded handgun on his hip. However, the video has not convinced Finicum's followers, who are treating him like a martyr to their antigovernment cause.