Old Parliament House in Canberra will review its public booking system after a group of sovereign citizens held a formal event to 'indict' Australian politicians and officials. The group, numbering at least 50, gathered in the building's courtyard on Saturday to accuse 266 unspecified officials of 'treason, fraud, democide and other crimes against humanity'.
A man acting as 'people's prosecutor' read 40 minutes of alleged evidence before the group voted to proceed to a 'people's grand jury'. The event was booked through a third-party contractor under the acronym 'GJI event', standing for grand jury indictment event.
A spokesperson for Old Parliament House said staff increased security after identifying the event's motives, ensuring it ended peacefully. The venue will now add an extra layer of oversight to event booking processes, as the event 'does not align with the role of Old Parliament House'.
Legal experts dismissed the group's actions as having no legal basis. Criminology expert Keiran Hardy said trying to shut down such meetings could fuel conspiracy theories, while noting the threat from sovereign citizens has declined since Covid lockdowns.
The group claims it will meet next month at an undisclosed location to carry out its grand jury. The incident follows a 2021 protest by sovereign citizens who set fire to the building's facade during anti-vaccine demonstrations.
