Man charged over fake video of AFP chief Kershaw ‘plotting coup’

A faked video purporting to be a leaked briefing by AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw planning to arrest government leaders for treason is circulating in online conspiracy circles.

AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw. Picture: Gary Ramage

Police expect to make more arrests as they investigate a fake video purporting to show Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw plotting to overthrow the federal government, following the arrest of a Perth man for impersonating an AFP officer.

On Monday, The Australian revealed the video was circulating in online conspiracy circles and had been watched more than 100,000 times, with police concerned that unbalanced individuals might act on it.

The video claims to reveal Mr Kershaw “spelling out the crimes of how our leaders have hijacked our government and how they will be taken down under common law and the constitution.”

A Queensland Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigation into the group behind the video resulted in the arrest of a 49-year-old man from the Perth suburb of Tuart Hill who is alleged to have tried to obtain stamps and ID badges bearing the AFP logo.

Police executed search warrants across the country, with raids on premises in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

They discovered that a shipment of three boxes of replica AFP badges was sent to a member of the group at a house in Cairns, with 470 badges recovered.

Police are searching for the rest of them.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Scott Lee said it was concerning a group of people had arranged the manufacture of AFP replica badges and the creation of a false video online.

“We have found no evidence this group has the ability to carry out specific violent acts in support of statements made by members of this group,” he said.

“The Queensland JCTT acted early in this instance to stop any potential disturbing activities at the earliest possible stage, and we will not hesitate to lay further charges if more criminal offences are identified.”

In the video, the man purported to be Mr Kershaw says: “When are we going to overthrow the ­government? ASAP! This is lawful arrest warrants on people who have done wrong by the criminal justice system and we have to arrest them.”

The Australian understands the Perth man arrested is not the individual speaking in the video. However, police know the identity of that person.

The “commissioner” tells potential recruits in the video that some of them will be armed but “the last resort is to pull a handgun on someone – we don’t want to do it; we want to do it lawfully and under the 1979 Police Act.”

They will be getting an AFP badge, he says, but “only to be used on the day of the arrests.”

The fake video clip has been posted on dozens of social media sites, including pages belonging to celebrity chef Pete Evans, rebel MP Craig Kelly and activists linked to the recent “Freedom Day” protest marches.

The man who calls himself “the commissioner” claims to have a handgun that he brings to meetings to “show people this is not a game; there could be times where your life could be threatened”.

“This is not a coup, this is not a terrorist act,” he says. “If you think you’re going in guns blazing and it’s going to be all fun and games, it’s not. This is not a game. You’re signing on for something that could be dangerous.

“The people at the top will be removed from their positions,” the man says. The Governor-General David Hurley will be “taken from power completely” and “the true governor-general” – far right activist Teresa van Lieshout – will be installed in his place.

A former One Nation and Palmer United Party candidate, Ms van Lieshout posts videos issuing “arrest warrants” for various politicians, premiers and chief medical officers for alleged offences including murder and treason.