Conspiracy theories behind rise of sovereign citizens across Queensland

Trump era politics, Covid lockdowns and bizarre doomsday conspiracy theories are driving a rise in sovereign citizens across Queensland.

• Explained: Legal powers and beliefs of sovereign citizens

Sovereign citizens are on the rise across Queensland and the rest of Australia as pandemic lockdowns, the Trump era and fears of the apocalypse lead to social polarisation and push conspiracy theories to new heights.

Sovereign citizens believe they are not bound by Australian law or in some cases, the entire global state system which declares Australia as a country to be governed in its own right.

According to university experts, sovereign citizen ideology likely appeals to people who may feel disempowered and start looking for answers elsewhere, similar to those attracted to cults.

Gareth and Stacey Train posted anti-government sentiment online in the months before they shot and killed two police officers and their neighbour during a shocking ambush on their Wieambilla property.

But measuring the exact number of sovereign citizens is quite difficult, says Griffith University criminology expert and author Kieran Hardy, due to the various ideologies or beliefs associated with sovereign citizens.

Despite this, Mr Hardy said sovereign citizens were seemingly on the rise due to a perfect storm of populism (anti-government movements), Trump and the pandemic.

“Times of uncertainty lead people to attempt to explain the world or look for alternate theories,” Mr Hardy said.

“There’s a lot of research showing that conspiracy theories thrive in environments where there is a lack of trust in authorities, and where there’s social disorder and uncertainty.

“Thankfully, we don't have Trump as a leader but when you start getting into the alternative facts and misinformation, it does seem to be a kind of perfect storm of factors, you know, increasing populism ultra conservatism.

“Combine that with a pandemic involving a whole bunch of restrictions and the seemingly authoritarian style of mandating lockdowns and the kind of the lack of trust that goes along with that.”

Coffs Harbour police were forced to break the window to arrest Helen Mary Delany, 52, who was allegedly wanted on two outstanding arrest warrants for domestic violence-related offences.

Coffs Harbour police were forced to break the window to arrest Helen Mary Delany, 52, who was allegedly wanted on two outstanding arrest warrants for domestic violence-related offences.

Key examples which received media attention include the recent Wieambilla shooting where two police officers and a member of the public were shot dead by two brothers who frequently posted anti-government sentiment online.

In August it was revealed a rural Queensland man accused of triple murder held sovereign citizen beliefs when a bizarre trespass sign was found at his property, while on Wednesday, a self-made number plate was spotted in northern Queensland sporting sovereign citizen traits.

Last week, video footage went viral of an unlicensed woman being arrested by police after a dramatic showdown on the Gold Coast where she refused to provide her details or get out of her car.

In a separate incident in Coffs Harbour, an officer was filmed ripping off the driver’s side window of a car to arrest a woman who claimed she “didn’t fall under his jurisdiction.”

Further examples include a kayaker who was arrested after paddling up to Government House in Canberra last week, while a Townsville man attempted to walk out of his own court case by arguing the court had no authority to use his name.

Many sovereign citizens opt to live off the grid. Picture: Telegram

Like this person, who is constructing a bunker on their property. Picture: Telegram

Expert in identity politics and social identity theory Dr Frank Mols, said the sovereign citizen movement was not new, but was now “picking up snow like a snowball,” with the topic now frequently brought up in his own academic and friendship circles.

He said while the internet had undoubtedly allowed people easy access and share information relating to sovereign citizen ideology, most people were simply looking for ways to entertain themselves or feel a sense of belonging.

“It might also be people feeling disempowered or powerless, as there’s all these discourses in society and you are just a little cog in the cog wheel, who can’t stop Ukraine War or the corruption on Wall Street,” Dr Mols said.

A sovereign citizen talks to police. Picture: @Ken_Behren/Twitter

“And then there’s the kind of more human factor of it feels good to be part of a team of a group of people who are like minded we understand each other we’ve seen the light these other idiots how they are completely in the dark about all this we have seen it.

“That’s the real crux of the matter, that sense of belonging to a group that is somewhat more superior to the rest of us, giving us positive self esteem which we all crave.

“Then the people that you identify with as a shared identity, you will be open to influence from these people.”

Andrew Robert Paterson walked out on his own trial in Townsville Magistrates Court.

Dr Mols also warned of the increase in the societal polarisation trend, with many people becoming more politically divided and emotional about worldly issues.

“Because there’s so much anger in society already, extremists might even delude themselves into thinking they’re the martyrs or the avant-garde of whichever movement and what we’ve seen with the sovereign citizens and the kind of hostility in both left and right (political alignments),” he said.

“I think it goes hand-in-hand with that broader effect of polarisation.

“For example, if politicians start antagonising Australia Day or what it means to be Australian, the Pauline Hanson kind of scare mongering saying Muslims are a threat, what happens is that normal law abiding people who would go to the beach with a draped in a flag with a beer, suddenly think that it's okay to punch a Lebanese person.”

Mr Hardy said the Australian government should keep tabs on those denying the authority of the Australian state.

“Hopefully it (sovereign citizen movement) can kind of stay as a frustration to the legal system and so on without becoming anything more serious,” he said.

Originally published as Conspiracy theories behind rise of sovereign citizens across Queensland