Ontario conspiracy theorists try to arrest cops only to be arrested themselves
In an ironic sequence of events, followers of the self-styled QAnon Queen of Canada, Romana Didulo, were arrested in Peterborough over the weekend after an attempt to place officers of the local police force under citizens' arrest.
The misinformed monarch and her entourage of crabby Cathy cul de sacs were in Peterborough over the weekend to participate in a citizens' arrest of officers, fuelled by outrage over whatever their latest QAnon conspiracy is this week.
The ill-fated mass arrest was reportedly organized by a man named Frank Curtin, who explained in social media posts that he has a grievance with the Peterborough Police Department over the handling of a complaint regarding his employer and accuses the local police chief of "crimes against humanity."
The first hour or so of congregating outside @PtboPolice station was relatively peaceful (except towards the masked counter-protester).
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 14, 2022
Here, Frank Curtin is on the phone with police, calmly explaining why he wants to arrest them all.
📸 8/13/22#cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/I6JctP5tRs
It appears that all of this stems from a conspiracy theory about the manufacturing of hand sanitizer and a steadfast (if not bonkers) belief that the still-ongoing pandemic is a hoax. The latter opinion is propped up by conspiracy theorists such as Didulo.
An exclusive interview with the reclusive Romana Didulo, courtesy of my intrepid cameraman. #cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/RtKTTB3cVz
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 13, 2022
Attendees marched from Confederation Square in Peterborough, gathering in the parking lot of the local police station, where they planned to arrest police officers.
Dramatic march from Confederation Square to the @PtboPolice station, where Romana Didulo’s supporters plan to arrest the entire (?) police force and turn them over to the military.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 13, 2022
Respectfully, this is batshit. #cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/DgouHsppLe
In one clip, organizer Frank Curtin is recorded approaching a black SUV to arrest the occupants, only to turn away when he realizes they are women.
This seems to suggest that Curtin operates under the obviously false logic that women cannot be police officers.
This is the closest Frank Curtin got to performing a citizen’s arrest.
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 14, 2022
(He nearly missed the opportunity because he either forgot or didn’t realize that women can be cops, too.)
📸 8/13/22#cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/5NHhqFQ6Og
At one point, Curtin bafflingly tries to explain to a police officer that "the military will detain you" for not cooperating with the attempted arrests.
Frank tries to reason with a police officer behind a side door in an area where you usually aren’t supposed to be and/or film. #ptbo #Romana https://t.co/lHBbpEHJoY pic.twitter.com/xAc6XvYOJv
— Johnny Fondue (@Eatsfood2) August 13, 2022
The protest hit its first big roadblock when police refused to let the group enter the station, because of course they didn't.
For some reason, @PtboPolice are not opening the door for Frank Curtin and his small group of supporters. #cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/a87IrEvC5H
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 13, 2022
When denied entry, the protestors/would-be arresting party turned to blocking the entrance to the station.
“We’re not going anywhere.”
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 13, 2022
It seems the plan is to block the entrance to the police station indefinitely.
As far as I can tell, none of the other building egresses are being monitored by the group. #cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/IrIRv0iSco
It seems that this was a step too far for cops, who proceeded to break up the crowd and turn the tables on the confused assembly.
Romana’s channel posted two short videos of the arrest, so I put them together. pic.twitter.com/VXATgdvYwV
— Johnny Fondue (@Eatsfood2) August 14, 2022
Chaotic videos show members of the group wrestled to the ground and arrested, pretty much the opposite outcome predicted by protestors.
#BREAKING
— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) August 13, 2022
Romana Didulo supporters arrested outside @PtboPolice station.
(These are arrests of citizens, not citizen arrests.)#cdnpoli #Peterborough #QAnon pic.twitter.com/Eb13lZdnMV
This is far from the first time that Didulo's followers have wound up in cuffs after listening to her legal advice.
In July, a Stratford man recorded his attempt to serve a police officer with a cease and desist order provided by Didulo to members of her "army" of anti-vaxxers.
As one would imagine, it didn't go as planned for the man, as the cop shrugged off the bogus order and proceeded to arrest the man for an outstanding warrant.
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