A large-scale police operation is under way in the Australian state of Victoria as authorities search for 56-year-old Dezi Bird Freeman, accused of fatally shooting two police officers and injuring a third on his semi-rural property in Porepunkah. Freeman, a self-described “sovereign citizen” who rejects government authority, has a long history of clashes with law enforcement and is known for his anti-government rhetoric.
Born Desmond Christopher Filby, Freeman gained notoriety during the Covid-19 pandemic for his defiance of restrictions, refusing to wear masks or accept vaccinations, and publicly railing against lockdowns. Locals described a dramatic change in his behaviour during that period, with one neighbour telling reporters he had “gone from being a normal country bloke at the local footy club to quite a strange bloke” who had “fallen down a rabbit hole.” His wife Mali had reportedly expressed concern about his state of mind just days before the fatal shooting.
Freeman’s rejection of authority has been well documented through social media posts, court appearances, and protests. He has described police as “terrorist thugs” and “Nazis,” and in one court hearing compared the sight of police officers to “an Auschwitz survivor seeing a Nazi soldier.” His history includes repeated driving offences, during which he often claimed duress or self-defence, and in one notorious courtroom outburst he attempted to arrest both a magistrate and a police officer, declaring them “under his custody.”
The “sovereign citizen” movement in Australia gained momentum during the pandemic, with adherents insisting they are immune from government laws and regulations. In 2023, Australian Federal Police described the ideology as having “an underlying capacity to inspire violence.” Freeman himself was arrested in 2021 outside a Victorian court during an anti-government protest, where he had supported an attempt to charge then-Premier Daniel Andrews with treason, a case that was quickly dismissed.
Police say Freeman’s increasingly extreme views culminated in last week’s shooting, which has sent shockwaves through Victoria. Officers remain in pursuit of him as tributes pour in for the slain police officers, while officials warn that Freeman is armed, dangerous, and deeply hostile to authority.
