21st Century Wire
New images of cattle rancher Cliven Bundy’s tense standoff with the Federal Bureau of Land Mangement (BLM) on Saturday afternoon reveal how the armed agency’s military operation configured to forcefully engage Bundy cowboys and their supporters who sought to liberate federally confiscated cattle over the weekend.
These exclusive images were taken by a GMN photographer positioned right above the action on the Southbound side of Interstate 15 near Bunkerville, Nevada.
Despite the BLM being instructed to leave the Bundy Ranch and Gold Butte area earlier that morning, the agency still insisted had a legal right to be there and that it would not let go of hundreds of cows it had already taken away from the Bundy Family. Critics are asking if that ‘legal right’ also includes stationing a federal military force in Bunkerville.
Prior to this standoff, the special agent in charge of BLM’s ground operations, Daniel P. Love, had issued a warning that any one who crosses the federal line in order to free the seized cattle – will be arrested. Love went on boasting his agency’s advantage over Bundy supporters when saying, “I’ve seen your numbers right now, you’d better hope that 10,000 show up.”
It turns out that protesters needed far less numbers to overcome Love’s federal army. In the end, a Bundy’s contingent of 150 cowboys on horseback and a few hundred of peaceful supporters – backed by a well-organised volunteer militia, all together, proceed to march past the BLM’s line of demarcation to the entrance of cattle holding area, prompting the platoon of armed federal tactical teams to stand down and fall back.
This is the first collection in a three part series, showing the federal government’s military build-up to Saturday’s climax under US Interstate 15…
(CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE HI-RES ENLARGEMENTS)
ARMED RANGERS: Back line of armed agents arrive on the scene.
SWAT TEAMS: Local police TAC teams commandeered by the federal government.
CONVOYS GATHERS: Alphabet soup agencies gather to mount their military operation.
TARGETING MEDIA: Watching us, watching them – BLM Sniper points rifle at GMN photographer.
LAYERS OF FIRE: ‘Paintball’ (pepperball), CS Gas in the front, and bullets from the rear.
EYE IN THE SKY: Ariel survelliance overhead as Cowboys move towards federal line.
AGENT IN CHARGE: Dan Love pulls out before Cowboys move to reclaim their herd.
LOVE LOST: Special Agent Love realizing that BLM have painted themselves into a corner.
PULLING BACK: Federal soldiers begin to pull back.
PACKING UP SHOP: Federal soldiers pack-up after giving the right of way to Bundy Cowboys and their supporters.
LIBERATION: Cowboys and supporters prepare to open the cattle gates.
COWS COMING HOME: First cattle released heading back to the Bundy Ranch.
MOTHERS AND BABIES: Cattle families coming home after release from BLM’s federal penitentiary.
AN AMERICAN MOMENT: Bundy Cowboys flying old glory, driving their herd back to pasture.
21WIRE can also reveal a secret recording made prior the final standoff on Saturday afternoon, between BLM Special Agent Dan Love and GMN host Pete Santilli, where Agent Love says, “Constitutions are not decided in the dirt.”
Agent Love adds, “I guarantee you the constitution is on my side – not your side… (…) You (the people) can fight your argument from jail.”
Listen to their full conversation here: