A Las Vegas rancher's son said force was needed in order to stop the government from seizing and selling his father's livestock.
Agents from the federal Bureau of Land Management battled hundreds of supporters backing the Bundy ranch and family on Sunday, Reuters reported. BLM officials stated one week ago that Bundy owed at least $1 million in penalties, back fees and other citations. Authorities contended that he'd allowed his cattle to continue grazing on public land, despite multiple summons and court orders.
Ammon Bundy told Reuters this weekend that he and others were pushed by necessity to show force.
"We were dedicated to opening those gates and peacefully walking through to retrieve those cattle," Ammond said. "The presence of weapons was needed in order to intimidate them."
Officials said Bundy, whose ranch is located around 80 miles northeast of Vegas, hadn't paid grazing fees for the past 21 years.
Almost 1,000 supporters had a four hour-long standoff with federal officials on Saturday, as militiamen wielding arms demonstrated on horseback and foot with the Bundy family.
Interstate 15 came to a standstill while the large group of supporters rallied in the streets, demanding bureau agents stop collecting the cattle. BLM authorities eventually conceded, and agreed to bring the cows back.
"When we went up there, they knew we were serious," Ammon Bundy told Reuters. "They wanted to go. This thing was building and building and was going to continue."
Supporters managed to gather around 350 cows from the federal bureau's holding areas.
According to Reuters, some of the animals were said to have sustained wounds. Newborn calves were fed from bottles, Bundy said.
Director of the bureau Neil Kornze said officials gathered the cattle from Bundy's farm because of safety concerns in the interest of both the workers and the public.
BLM officials weren't immediately available for comment.
76-year-old Cliven Bundy said he was in awe at the sheer number of people who showed support for his family.
"I was really quite humbled to the fact that there are so many good people," Cliven Bundy said.
