The truth is far simpler.
A bunch of right wing religious fruitcakes that have never read an actual Constitution, just the abridged/annotated version from their church elder, committed a bunch of crimes on public land...stole from you and me.
They think they are some sort of freedom fighters, but are really just run of the mill dumbasses and criminals.
They trespassed, vandalized, and terrorized a community. The community wanted them gone, and the "victims" they were there to Patriotize for told them to shut up and go home, too.
Their dumfuckery was evident starting from Day 1...as a bunch of fruit loop preppers you would think that they would have brought food, but didn't even do that part right. At least one guy brought a tarp.
Eventually the town was terrorized enough that they begged for the FBI to get the clownshow out of their zone.
They arrested the few that stole vehicles, drove around drunk, or had various other warrants for their arrest.
They pulled over a few more who were under the impression that criminals don't get arrested as long as they call themselves patriots. Surprisingly the US Criminal Code doesn't give free passes to shitferbrains like that.
One guy tried to run a roadblock, then tried to pull a gun on the cops, and got his ass sent to his 72 virgins, post haste, which is exactly as it should have been.
Now all the rest will either go to jail, or go home, and I hope that every single one of them never receives a single Government Welfare check again, ever, as all of them are bigger welfare queens than any black woman trying to buy a popsicle with and EBT card could ever be.
They shouldn't trust cops...no criminal should. If there are any other chapters, I hope they all include more of them going to jail until they are all there.
And you're right...it never needed to happen...but right wing religious fruitcakes that think they are above the law do stupid things.
Know what happens when you plays stupid games?
You win stupid prizes.
They are all winners!
Fish on...
Todd
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Team Flying Super Ditch Pickle