Bruce Shillingsworth: Why this Indigenous man dresses as a cop

The Indigenous man behind a destructive fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to Old Parliament House is trying to create an alternative police force.

The man behind a destructive fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to Old Parliament House can be revealed as a radical activist who dresses up as a cop and has created an alternative police force.

Bruce Shillingsworth, 32, was found guilty on Monday over his role in the blaze that caused $5.3 million in damage to the doors of the historic Canberra building in December 2021.

The jury deliberated for just under a day and handed back their verdict declaring Shillingsworth (as well as Nicholas Reed) were guilty of arson and aiding and abetting arson respectfully.

Shillingsworth in his Lore Enforcement uniform. Picture: Facebook /Bruce Muckadda Shillingsworth

’Lore is the only legitimate structure’ according to Shillingsworth. Picture: Facebook /Bruce Muckadda Shillingsworth

Shillingsworth, who represented himself and appeared in court wearing a kangaroo pelt and a traditional feathered headdress, argued that the events of the day were simply a “cultural ceremony”.

He referred to Old Parliament House as a “significant symbol” and the group had wanted to “cleanse out the bad spirits” associated with the policies of genocide and dispossession.

Shillingsworth submitted that while he told fellow protesters to gather and break down the doors of the building only the day prior, he did not mean it literally.

Bruce Shillingsworth Jr was found guilty. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

But a further look into Shillingsworth’s social media profiles shows he has a radical agenda.

Of perhaps most noteworthy is his establishment of a ‘Tribal Lore Enforcement’ body to “maintain and protect national sovereignty”.

He frequently appears in pictures with his ‘Lore Enforcement’ uniform, which chillingly mirrors the actual NSW police uniform just in a darker colour.

He has told his 60,000 Facebook followers that Lore was the “only legitimate structure on this land”.

“We are heading down this path of taking control through power, jurisdiction and authority on tribal lands to ensure the best interests of everybody,” he said.

He argued people need to stop “reinforcing the lie” and “start getting up to speed”.

In his mind states and territories don’t exist but have been “indoctrinated”.

“We have to change this,” he said.

“We have to educate our future generations and allow them to acquire the knowledge.

“Only the natural boundaries of the 365 nations of this continent exist.”

“It’s not conspiracy theory but fact.”

Videos posted on social media show Shillingsworth in repeated confrontations with police.

One filmed last year show Shillingsworth arguing in March with police after he refused to move from Ledknapper Nature Reserve in Enngonia.

“You’re committing an offence because that land from here onwards is Muruwarri land and you should know that,” Shillingsworth said.

He was subsequently charged with obstructing traffic and disobeying directions over the incident.

Shillingsworth told news.com.au that his ‘Lore Enforcement’ can work together with NSW Police but the two forces appear to be “butting heads due to a lack of clarity of our structure”.

He said his arguments with police were him “just being professional” and “reminding them there is a big difference between ownership of land and creating commerce on First Nations land”.

“It’s about reminding them of their jurisdiction and our roles and responsibilities as law enforcement”.

He said Lore has altruistic motives and works in health, welfare and well being as well.

Shillingsworth has also used his platform to speak out against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament describing it as “nothing but tokenism” on Facebook.

Mr Shillingsworth believes in Lore, not Law.

“It goes right down into consultation,” he said.

“If the proper process of consultation took place it would break down those barriers of being tokenistic. We see there is an underlying agenda here. Because our voices have been denied or ignored the word tokenism comes in there.

“This construct is just going around a merry-go-around. What the current push for is an entity that is an avenue for a voice for First Nations people. This is nothing new. We’ve got Aboriginal Affairs, we’ve had ATSIC (Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Commission) in the past so where are they? So this is nothing new.”
-with Courtney Gould, NCA NewsWire