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More than 100 guns have been seized by Western Australian police in raids on so-called “sovereign citizens” in an operation sparked by the shooting deaths of two Victorian officers.
Gun owners known for espousing sovereign-citizen ideology were targeted in the five-day operation last week across metropolitan and regional WA.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the operation was conducted for both public safety, and ensuring officers were safe on the beat.
“The recent murder of two serving police officers in country Victoria was allegedly committed by a sovereign citizen,” he said.
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“Following this tragedy, I instructed my officers to conduct a review and risk assessment of those individuals in Western Australia who are licensed firearm holders and whose beliefs align with sovereign citizen ideologies.”
Sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman has been on the run since August 26 after allegedly murdering two police officers with his wife’s firearms in Victoria’s High Country while they were executing a search warrant at his remote property.
Freeman has eluded hundreds of police who have been scouring dense alpine bushland in Mount Buffalo National Park in Victoria’s north-east. Sympathisers have been warned they could face jail if they harboured Freeman.
Sovereign citizens are anti-government activists who believe they are immune from the law, and often use social media platforms to discuss how to evade car, birth and gun registrations.
WA officers executed 70 searches at different addresses across suburban Perth and regional towns.
Police said they had seized 135 firearms and cancelled or suspended 44 firearm licences. Officers also inspected 26 firearm storage units.
Whispers of the raids began appearing on Telegram, a social media platform frequented by those with sovereign-citizen ideologies, earlier this week.
Blanch said gun owners had been integral in completing the operation without incident.
“It was not without risk, but its successful completion reduces future risk to our community and blue family,” he said.
“I want to thank our community, and in particular, our firearms community.
“A substantial portion of the intelligence we used to inform this operation came from responsible members of our firearms community here in WA, who came to us with concerns about the behaviours of a very small number of firearm owners.
Alleged gunman Dezi Freeman has been on the run since late August after two officers were fatally shot in Victoria’s High Country.Credit: Nine
“It is worth noting that this operation ran concurrently with our normal firearms compliance checks and a number of law abiding and responsible owners were also visited during this period. I would like to thank those responsible firearm owners we visited for working with us.”
Gun laws came into effect at the end of March in WA requiring strict licensing protocols and registration, and limiting the number of guns people can own.
WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said the operation was an important step toward protecting the public.
“No one is above the law, and that includes anyone who declares they are a sovereign citizen and
thereby oppose the laws that are the cornerstone of a free and democratic community, which has the
potential to threaten public safety,” he said.
“This operation is about protecting Western Australians against individuals who pose a threat to the
public. By removing their legal access to firearms we’re a step forward toward a safer community.”
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