These guys are assholes. Nothing could make me sympathize with them–except for a government overreaction to them.
They are trespassing. They are almost certainly committing more serious crimes than trespassing, although I’m not in a position to say what they are. What they are NOT doing is presenting an imminent threat to anyone’s life.
The moment one of them points a gun at someone, sure–use appropriate force to eliminate that threat. But right now they’re the real-life equivalent of Internet blowhards.
Proper law enforcement response, IMO, involves de-escalation. Get them out of there. Then arrest them for the crimes they have committed, hold a bail hearing at which you point out what they’re likely to do if they’re released (i.e., grab their guns and go for another ridiculous standoff), hold them in custody until their trial, and try them for their crimes.
Why is Cliven Bundy described as a “rancher” when “freeloader” would be more appropriate?
And does anyone think the building would have remained unstormed this long if the folks taking it over had been Muslim?
IMO, the best approach would be to cut off their electricity, water and all contact with the outside world, except the police agency in charge. Let 'em stew a few days and then surrender meekly.
Ammon Bundy, the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a standoff with the government over grazing rights, told The Oregonian that he and two of his brothers were among a group of dozens of people occupying the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
What happens when more supporters show up? Sure, arrest them when they cross the yellow tape, but with them camping out outside the tape I, as a federal agent, would feel more than a little nervous with assholes brandishing guns back of me, along with the ones in front. Trigger finger could get itchy and anything might set me off.
IMHO it comes from the idea the Bundys and their ilk have about “The evil government”
In the FOX thread in GB I made a link to this report from the Oregonian that makes it more clear how their “logic” works:
Yep, they do resent that it was the fire department the ones that IIUC put the finger on the Hammonds, they got in trouble with the environmental department too and the Bundys are also into “returning federal land to the [del]freeloaders[/del] land owners”
“I went there to defend Cliven with my life,” Cooper said.
Offer accepted. Burn them out, then carpet-bomb the Bundy compound in Nevada. These are traitors and domestic terrorists, plain and simple.
Or, for those of a less bloody (and simple-minded) attitude, what BigAppleBucky said above. Cut their electricity, water and phone and let them stew for a week or so. Then accept their surrender. But treat any and all people outside the yellow tape as rioters. All weapons instantly confiscated. Any attempt to resist met with overwhelming deadly force.