The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Centre in Burns, Oregon has been taken over by local, armed protestors.

The protest began in support of two local ranchers who were initially jailed due to arson-related charges in 2012 and subsequently released, but a court ruled that their original sentences were too short and have ordered them back to jail.

Dwight Hammond, 73, and his son Steven, 46, were jailed for lighting fires on federal land to combat invasive species and protect their land from wildfires.

Beginning as a rally to support the Hammonds, it soon spiralled out to a broader anti-government protest, eventually resulting in the occupation of the Wildlife Refuge Centre.

Two days later, and the occupiers have claimed that they are willing to stay put for as long as it takes, and have warned the FBI that their forceful removal would result in negative consequences,."We have no intentions of using force upon anyone, (but) if force is used against us, we would defend ourselves."

Speaking to CNN, protest spokesman Ammon Bundy stated that "We have no intentions of using force upon anyone, (but) if force is used against us, we would defend ourselves."

However, when asked what it would take for the occupation to come to an end, there have not been any specific answers given yet.

Furthermore, the Hammonds' attorney, W. Alan Schroeder, wrote to Harney County Sheriff David Ward, stated that "Neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group/organization speak for the Hammond family."