“It’s in the middle of nowhere,” an unnamed official told the Guardian regarding the US Park Service’s plan to cut the power. “And it’s flat-ass cold up there.”
The move would certainly escalate the situation, and the right-wing militia have repeatedly claimed that they are willing to die there, and go out shooting if need be.
“After they shut off the power, they’ll kill the phone service,” the official added. “Then they’ll block all the roads so that all those guys have a long, lonely winter to think about what they’ve done.”
On Tuesday, snowstorms were expected to begin and the temperature is expected to plummet to a freezing —8F by evening.
Ammond Bundy, one of the occupying militia members and son of Cliven Bundy, told Raw Story “we’re ready and waiting if the power should be shut down.”
The group has claimed that they are prepared to tough it out “for months,” but during a tour of the site, the Guardian noted that they have enough food for a few weeks — at best.
This likely explains why members of the group have been taking to social media to beg for supporters to send them snacks.
“Things we could use: cold weather socks, snacks, energy drinks, equipment for cold weather, snow camo, gear, anything you think will help. Thank you all for the support,” Blaine Cooper wrote on Facebook on behalf of Jon Ritzheimer.
It sounds like Ammon Bundy’s claim to the Oregonian that they were prepared to stay “for years,” if necessary, may have been a slight exaggeration.
