On the morning of January 8, in preparation for a rumored protest that was being organized in Burns, sheriff's deputies began fortifying the county courthouse, including ring-fencing it with concrete barriers. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported "heavily armed sheriff's deputies" patrolling in the immediate vicinity of the building. Later that day, members of other militias arrived in the area, met with the militants, and asked them to establish a perimeter around the occupied area to avoid a "Waco-style situation."