Two vehicles with no registered license plates, owned by a member of the Sovereign Citizens movement, are seen in Columbus, Ohio. The movement claims U.S. government has no authority over citizens. Photo: Jay LaPrete/AP

The Growing Danger of Sovereign Citizens

The public has access to hundreds of thousands of sovereign citizen encounters on YouTube. For some, these videos have become a source of amusement. But to believe they are harmless or a joke is a mistake.

January 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM

5 minute read

Commentary

Christine M. Sarteschi

Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe they are immune from the laws of the government. They exist in the United States, and internationally. Because they consider themselves to be above the law, they often engage in highly dramatic encounters with police during traffic stops, in courtrooms and even with members of the general public.