Bellevue Police Encounter 'Sovereign Citizen' During Traffic Stop

BELLEVUE, WA - Bellevue police recently encountered a follower of the "Sovereign Citizen" movement during a traffic stop after an officer spotted the man driving with homemade license plates.

Followers of the sovereign citizen movement believe in a conspiracy theory that says the U.S. has enslaved its population under "admiralty law," a legal system that, apparently, only applies to the oceans. Sovereign citizens willfully disobey the law, which poses a threat to police officers.

In 2010, two sovereign citizens killed officers Sgt. Brandon Paudert and officer Bill Evans during a traffic stop in West Memphis, Ark.

"Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or 'sovereign' from the United States. As a result, they believe they don’t have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement," the FBI wrote in a bulletin about the movement, referring to followers as domestic terrorists.

Bellevue police encountered their sovereign citizen on March 9 near 12:30 a.m. When pulled over, the man would not give police identification or proof of registration or insurance. He initially refused to get out of the vehicle, but officers were eventually able to arrest him for multiple traffic offenses and obstructing police.

The man had created his own license plate that read, "No driver license or insurance required. Private. Not for commerce use - private mode of travel."