On Thursday January 10, 2013 Greenville Police officers stopped a car on Colonial Avenue for a traffic violation. The driver of the car told officers he did not have to follow State laws or obtain any type of license to drive his car. The man also questioned police about their authority to stop him. The man was arrested and charged with No Operators License, and Resisting Arrest.
This behavior is typical of someone who adopts the philosophy of being a "sovereign citizen," and it seems to be a growing trend across the nation. It is a trend that is being seen more and more in Eastern NC, too.
People following this movement maintain that government has no authority to tax them, to issue licenses, set laws, or do many of the thing governments normally do. They do not recognize or accept the authority of the Federal Government, and often do not accept authority of State governments. Typically, the only law enforcement they will recognize is an elected County Sheriff.
For the most part, these people were not a major concern for law enforcement. Other than being difficult to work with, or being nuisances, they were generally considered to be harmless. But a few years ago (May 2010), 2 men who considered themselves as Sovereign Citizens, shot and killed 2 West Memphis, TN Police officers during a traffic stop. The 2 Sovereigns were later killed during a gun battle with other police officers following a car chase.
That incident put the Sovereign Citizen movement on the front page of law enforcement.
The Sovereign Citizen Movement has roots that go back decades.
Here are some Web Links that will teach you more:
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