7-10-13 lawmaker says guards at proposed mine site are armed with military-style assault rifles

A northern Wisconsin lawmaker describes armed guards hired by Gogebic Taconite to protect a proposed mining site as a quasi-military group armed with military style assault rifles.  State representative Janet Bewly tells AM 1170 WFDL's Between the Lines program about a month ago the company hired a private security firm after a protester was arrested for stealing a worker’s cell phone on the site.  But Bewly says for some unknown reason the company changed its plan and

hired a new group based in Arizona.  "Suddenly after a month of working in the woods they (Gogebic) has changed their strategy completely from a simple security firm to this armed company from out of state, a group from Arizona, who is armed in camo gear with masks and assault rifles,"  Bewly said.  Bewly says strictly from a PR standpoint Gogebic is making a big mistake.  She says local law enforcement is well prepared to handle any problems…just like they did a month ago when a protester was arrested.  Bewly sent a letter to the company president calling on him to remove the guards immediately.