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Summarised by Centrist
Police have released operational guidance instructing officers to formally record interactions with so-called “sovereign citizens” in a national intelligence database and notify a specialist security team.
Under the newly published chapter of the New Zealand Police Manual, officers who believe they are dealing with a sovereign citizen are directed to enter relevant details into the National Intelligence Application (NIA) and alert the Security Intelligence and Threats Group (SITG).
That team will assess the information and, where appropriate, create an alert “that will hopefully make things easier for the next staff member”.
Further referral may be required if an individual holds a firearms licence or presents a potential national security concern.
The guidance states that “not all SovCits are a threat to national security”, but some “will hold attitudes or beliefs that align with violent extremism or terrorism”. In such cases, information may be referred to the National Security Group.
Police describe sovereign citizens as individuals who believe they are not subject to government laws or authority. They may reject the legitimacy of courts and law enforcement, refuse to comply with standard legal procedures, or present pseudo-legal arguments and fraudulent documentation.
The manual outlines making clear that all persons in New Zealand are subject to its laws regardless of personal beliefs.
Scenarios included in the guidance cover traffic stops involving invalid licences and attempts to invoke the Magna Carta to avoid arrest.
Police say the sovereign citizen movement has been active in New Zealand for about two decades and grew during the COVID pandemic. Officials and public servants have reported harassment through what police describe as “paper terrorism”, involving the bombardment of pseudo-legal documents.
Read more over at The NZ Herald (paywalled)
