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Confrontational but Not Violent

An Assessment of the Potential for Violence by the Anti-Authority Community in Canada

Bibliographic Data

ID4087157
AuthorsBarbara Perry (Ontario Tech University, corresponding author), David C Hofmann (University of New Brunswick), Ryan Scrivens (0000-0001-7432-7370, Simon Fraser University)
Year2020
Volume32
Issue8
Pages1776-1796
Publication date2020-11-16
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTerrorism and Political Violence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-6553 • E-ISSN: 1556-1836
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09546553.2018.1516210
OpenAlexW2891046630
LanguageEN
Citations received6

Despite a pervasive concern among law enforcement and security agencies, there are relatively few academic explorations of the likelihood of violence associated with anti-authority activists from groups such as the Freemen-on-the-Land, Sovereign Citizens, and similar movements within Canada. In order to begin addressing this gap in knowledge, this article uses a multi-method approach to explore and assess the potential for violence by the Canadian anti-authority community against the state in particular. Data were gathered from interviews with law enforcement, lawyers, judges, notaries, and movement adherents (n = 32), as well as from the analysis of open source data which included media reports, court documents, and movement websites. Results suggest that there are three distinct classes of violent activity, directed specifically at the state and state actors, that are prevalent among Canadian anti-authority movements: a) offensive/extremist violence; b) defensive/reactionary violence; and c) harassment and intimidation. The article concludes with a discussion of two emerging areas of concern related to Canadian anti-authority violence and responses to the anti-authority community in Canada

Community policing · Criminology · Enforcement · Harassment · Intimidation · Law enforcement · Offensive · Political science · Politics · Reactionary · Sociology · Sovereignty · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Policing Practices and Perceptions · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

  • An exploration of right-wing extremist incidents in Atlantic Canada

    David C Hofmann, Brynn Trofimuk et al.•Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict•2021

  • The UN Sustainable Development Goals and Provision of Security, Responses to Crime and Security Threats, and Fair Criminal Justice Systems

    Open Access•Gorazd Meško, Sanja Kutnjak Ivković et al.•The UN Sustainable Development…•2024

  • Violence risk assessment of Sovereign Citizens

    Open Access•Lee M Vargen, Darin Challacombe et al.•Behavioral Sciences & the Law•2023

  • “Cops Need Doxxed”

    Open Access•Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson et al.•Crime & Delinquency•2025

  • Of Freemen and Strawmen

    Open Access•Kristy Campion, Kathleen M Ingram•Australian Journal of Political…•2026

  • All These Crazies

    Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson•Deviant Behavior•2025

Citations per year1.2
Citation span2021 - 2026 (6)
Highly citedNo

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