PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — About 100 people rallied in downtown Portland Saturday in support of Ammon and Ryan Bundy, at one point even stopping and waving up at their jail cells.The Bundy brothers are jailed for their alleged roles in the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
The group wanted the Bundy brothers to know that even though they are behind bars, people on the outside are still fighting for their cause.
“Laws have been manipulated to assign titles like terrorism, to people who are assets to our community and the American people in general,” said Kelli Stewart, of a group called We The People.
Some people were there to support LaVoy Finicum, an occupier who was killed during a standoff with police.
“Not everything has come out about what happened to LaVoy,” said Bruce Cuff, one-time candidate for Oregon Governor.
Others were there to protest the protesters, including members of the Portland Occupy movement and Aaron Weiss, with Center for Western Priorities. He says supporters of the Bundy’s have skewed perspectives.
“You go and look at what they’re saying online, they’re not fighting on behalf of the American people. They’re fighting, in some cases, to secede from the union,” said Weiss. “We’re here to say that’s not acceptable. We’re the United States of America, these public lands belong to all Americans and that’s what we’re going to stand up for.”
Other gatherings were held at public parks and government buildings in Salem and Bend, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
