Nevada Cattle Rancher Wins Battle With Federal Government After Heated Protests

A 20-year standoff between the federal government and a Nevada cattle rancher came to an end last week after the government agreed to stop seizing the rancher's cattle.

The showdown started in 1993 and peaked earlier this month after protesters backing the rancher Cliven Bundy got into a heated altercation with authorities, which was posted on YouTube.

According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the cattle were grazing illegally on federal land and Bundy owed over $1 million in taxes. As a result, the government began the removal of hundreds of his cattle from federal land, reports CNN.

In response, Bundy argued that his herd which consists of roughly 900 cattle, has grazed on the land along the riverbed near Bunkerville, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, since 1870. He also threatened a "range war" against the BLM on the Bundy Ranch after one of his sons was arrested during a protest against the removal of the cattle.

"I have no contract with the United States government," Bundy said, reports ABC News. "I was paying grazing fees for management and that's what BLM was supposed to be, land managers and they were managing my ranch out of business, so I refused to pay."

However, the government had stated that Bundy "owes the American people in excess of $1 million" in unpaid grazing fees and "refuses to abide by the law of land, despite many opportunities over the last 20 years to do so."

The dispute came to an end on Saturday when the BLM said it would not enforce a court order to remove the cattle and was pulling out of the area.

"Based on information about conditions on the ground, and in consultation with law enforcement, we have made a decision to conclude the cattle gather because of our serious concern about the safety of employees and members of the public," BLM Director Neil Kornze said.

"We ask that all parties in the area remain peaceful and law-abiding as the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service work to end the operation in an orderly manner," he added.