RICHLAND — Some Eastern Washington residents planned to meet Friday night in Richland to organize a local branch of a national network called People’s Rights.
The organization, founded by the controversial anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, scheduled its first Tri-Cities meeting at the Uptown Shopping Center.
Over 600 people expressed interested in the group online but it also drew concerned comments from some Tri-Citians worried about the group remaining peaceful.
But one organizer assured the Herald they aren’t looking for a fight, just to find others interested in the same concerns about the infringement of rights.
“The aspect that people are worried, that is so far removed from what we are trying to accomplish,” said Amanda Bisset, a Walla Walla native and area coordinator for the group. “We want the neighborhood to be empowered, not scared that we’re trying to violate other people’s rights.”
A flier posted on Facebook described the meeting as open to the public and urged people to have an open mind about it.
‘Your neighbors’
The People’s Rights rose out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its website is complete with some of the most extreme rhetoric about the disease.
The loosely connected network is organized by region including one that includes Yakima, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla.
While Bundy has become the broader group’s figurehead, Bisset said they have no direct communication with him and aren’t taking direction from him.
Bundy led the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon and was behind demonstrations at the homes of politicians, health agency managers and even a police officer.
Bisset said while they may organize rallies, she said she doesn’t expect protests at private homes. She sees the group as a way to share concerns and information.
“We’re not anything to fear. We just want everyone’s rights to be equal and no one to be demonized. …. These are your neighbors,” she said. “We’re nothing to be scared of. We want to assist other people to be informed on their rights.”
She said some people are coming together out of frustration that their lawmakers aren’t listening to them.
“It was put together at the request of many members in the community over an extended length of time and a venue was finally found to do so that could accommodate the number of those interested,” said another organizer Cindy Fitzsimmons.
Concerns
Several people posted on social media about their fear of a chapter of the organization being formed in the Tri-Cities. They did not want to be named out of fear of retaliation.
“These are folks that live in this fear of the government and the libs coming to take their stuff and their rights, which is unfounded, and also feel this need to be hyper vigilant and to make sure everyone is armed and trained enough,” said one Richland resident. “What scares me is when people like that don’t like the outcome of things, they retaliate.”
Blackformation, a Tri-Cities group that arose out of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, posted publicly about its concerns.
Marcel Etteswold noted that videos on the People’s Rights website portray racial equality protests in a bad light and spread fear and their activities risk the lives of hospital workers, health officers, politicians and others that their members disagree with.
“This is a racist group holding ritual in my backyard,” he said. “It has been reported to local police forces and FBI offices, but, as we have seen in this past year, the hue of participant’s skin generally determines the level of police response.”
