This story was originally published on January 3, 2016.A protest in support of Oregon ranchers facing jail time for arson escalated into a takeover on Saturday afternoon, when armed activists and militiamen occupied a remote federal wildlife refuge. The Oregonian reports that an estimated 300 militiamen from several states took part in a rally to protest the arrest of two ranchers, 73-year-old Dwight Hammond and his son Steven Hammond, who must report to a California prison based on a federal judge's ruling in an arson case.Following the rally, a section of the members broke off from the larger group. They took over a building that houses the offices of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and is operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services, according to The New York Times . They also blocked access to the road. Reports estimate that as many as 150 militiamen are at the refuge.Among the men leading the standoff are Ammon and Ryan Bundy, sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a previous standoff with the government over grazing rights, reports The Oregonian . Other anti-government militia members include Ryan Payne, a Montana Army veteran who took part in last year's armed standoff with federal agents in Nevada, and Blaine Cooper, an Arizona militiaman who also participated in the Nevada standoff.“We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” Ammon Bundy told The Oregonian in a telephone interview. “This is not a decision we’ve made at the last minute.” The Bundy brothers made it clear that they would not rule out violence if law enforcement officers attempted to remove them from the building.Neither man provided specifics on how many men are there and whether or not they are armed. They did say that there are no hostages. The group insists that under the Constitution, the federal government has no legal right to Harney County land and that is should be relinquished to ranchers, loggers, and miners. They are also demanding that the Hammonds be released.But according to The Associated Press , the Hammonds do not welcome this show of support from the Bundy-led militia, and they plan to peacefully report to prison January 4 as ordered by the judge.