Sovereign citizens ‘not above the law’ as guns seized
After the shooting of two police officers in another state, more than 100 weapons were seized in raids targeting “sovereign citizens”.
Western Australian officials, before performing the five -day operation by the “responsible” weapon holders on multiple hints after moving on more than one clue warned that no one should think of the law.
After visiting the 70 address of WA police, forty -four gun licenses were suspended or canceled, seven people were accused of 18 crimes against firearms storage.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said that the deadly shooting of two officials in Victoria enables the review of licensed firearms owners whose beliefs are compatible with the dominant citizen ideology ”.
Dezi Freeman, who declared himself, has been fleeing since August 26th after 26 August, allegedly shot the dead officers Neal Thompson and Vadim De Waart-Hottart because they gave a search order at his home in Porpunkah.
The 56 -year -old fled from the mountainous town about 300 km northeast of Melbourne to busy bushes and a major police operation began to find it.
Mr. Blanch said that some could see that weapons prints were obsessed, but six officers were killed by firearms while joining private properties.
“We lost in Queensland, two in Victoria, one in South Australia, and the other in Tasmania,” he said.
Sovereign citizens often believe that governments are illegitimate and are not subject to existing laws.
They usually encourage anti -government landscapes and resist taxes, parking penalties and rates.
The operation said, “It was not risk -free, but successfully completing the risk for our community and Blue family,” he said.
“A significant portion of the intelligence we use to inform this operation came from the responsible members of our firearms community in WA, which came to us with concerns about the behavior of very few firearms owner.”
Police Minister Reece Whitby said that the risk of ruling citizens with weapons is very high.
“How can the Western Australian province entrust the responsibilities of having a legal weapon to these people?” he said.
“If you believe that you do not have to comply with the Western Australian law, there is no way to be accepted as a suitable and appropriate person to have a fiery weapon license.”
