Sovereign Citizen Crackdown – WA Police Seize 135 Firearms in Shocking Raid
- WA Police Minister Reece Whitby warns that sovereign citizens are a “far too high” risk to own guns, following the seizure of 135 firearms in a massive operation.
- The raid, sparked by the fatal shooting of two police officers in Victoria, saw 70 properties searched and 44 gun licenses cancelled or suspended.
- Police Commissioner Col Blanch says people who do not abide by the law are not fit to own a gun, as authorities crack down on the growing sovereign citizen movement.
Western Australia has been rocked by a massive police operation targeting sovereign citizens, with 135 firearms seized and 44 gun licenses cancelled or suspended. The raid, which was sparked by the fatal shooting of two police officers in Victoria, saw 70 properties searched across the state.
WA Police Minister Reece Whitby has warned that sovereign citizens pose a “far too high” risk to own guns, citing the tragic events in Victoria as a stark reminder of the dangers of the movement. “For someone who is a professed sovereign citizen, whose beliefs are that they do not have to abide by the laws, how on earth can the people of WA entrust those people with the responsibilities of being a lawful gun owner?” he said.
Police Commissioner Col Blanch echoed the Minister’s sentiments, saying that people who do not abide by the law are not fit to own a gun. “The [gun owners who] we cancelled their license, with the evidence we have, with the intelligence we have, do not meet that criteria,” he said. “They have decided they are not law-abiding, therefore their licenses were cancelled.”
The operation, which was carried out last week, saw police attend 70 properties and seize 135 firearms. A number of people also had their licenses suspended while police assessed whether they were fit to own guns.
The sovereign citizen movement, which has been growing in popularity in recent years, is characterized by a belief that individuals are not subject to the laws of the land. WA’s top judge, Chief Justice Peter Quinlan, has warned of the risks posed by the movement, saying that it threatens the “safety and stability” of society.
As part of the operation, people who had expressed beliefs common to sovereign citizen movements in court proceedings or police documents had their gun license cancelled immediately. Others had their licenses suspended while police assessed whether they were fit to own firearms.
The crackdown on sovereign citizens comes as the state introduces tougher firearm reforms, making it harder for people to get a gun license. The move has been met with resistance from some gun owners, who claim that the regulations are evidence of government overreach.
However, Police Minister Whitby says that the safety of Western Australians is paramount. “We want to keep Western Australians safe, we want to keep our police officers safe,” he said.