The Oregon militia, now entering the second week of protest, has sent out a call for supplies. The call came from Carol Bundy, mother of Ammon Bundy, who is leading the occupation.
Ammon Bundy's mother, Carol, sent an email to the group's supporters, asking for donations of more than 80 different items, including cigarettes, toiletries, wool socks, sleeping bags, food, coffee, and "French Vanilla Creamer," according to the Associated Press.
The appeal comes just after a group of heavily armed men arrived offering their support. Just as a group of the occupiers were concluding a morning press conference on Saturday, a series of more than a dozen vehicles pulled onto the site.
Calling themselves the Pacific Patriot Network, the group claimed to be a neutral party. Spokesman for the Oregon militia, LaVoy Finicum, told the men they were not welcome and that the militia was trying to reduce any chances of possible conflict.
"Ammon felt blindsided," said Todd Macfarlane, the man acting as a liaison between the occupiers and the public, according to the Guardian, "This was not a welcome development. We are trying to de-escalate here, then boom, they all show up."
Despite their need for resources, the Oregon militia shows no signs of backing down. Later on Saturday, it paraded several government vehicles around the compound, saying they now belonged to the local community. The militia also altered a national wildlife sign to read "Harney County Resource Center," according to CBS.
On Jan. 2, a group of ranchers seized a building on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in protest of the government's treatment of two ranchers who were ordered back to jail after serving short terms on arson charges.
The group is now is now calling for the return of the Malheur land to locals and has vowed to occupy the building until the transfer of ownership occurs.
