Since we’re living in the age of social media, many people have become familiar with different social and political movements. Among the most controversial is the Sovereign Citizen movement. Unfortunately, it gained a large amount of shine due to Darrell Brooks driving his SUV into a group of parade-goers in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Since then, there have been tons of traffic stop videos of Sovereign Citizens giving law enforcement a hard time due to their anti-government beliefs and defiance of the rules of the road.

Here are three myths Sovereign Citizens believe about driving.

Why is a Sovereign citizen?

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Sovereign Citizen movement consists of people who are anti-government and believe that the laws don’t apply to them. Going further, they think there are ways that they can separate themselves from being governed by those laws, which is what Darrell Brooks from Waukesha expressed in his controversial trial a couple of years back. 

The movement gained some level of popularity in the 1970s and continues today and causes them to belive they can ignore the rules of the road.

Many claim to be traveling during traffic stops and not driving

One of the things people see in body cam footage of traffic stops with Sovereign Citizens is them arguing over terminology. Often, the issue of them traveling and not driving comes into play. Sovereign Citizens do this because they claim to not need a driver’s license or valid registration. They believe this due to not engaging in interstate commerce. They’ll often have plates that say “Not for Hire” or “Private Conveyance.”

To them, driving involves doing some sort of business. However, they call traveling a right that has nothing to do with legislation. Because of this, they ignore most of the rules of the road. Of course, this is false, as all drivers must be licensed and use a registered vehicle. 

Sovereign Citizens believe police have no right to enforce the rules of the road

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of watching traffic stops with Sovereign Citizens is seeing them ignore the rules of the road. In particular, they believe law enforcement officers have no right to stop them for any reason. This includes DUI checkpoints, border patrol reasons, or any other traffic stops. 

Body cam footage often shows them refusing to speak to the cops. However, they’ll erratically ask if they’re being detained and repeatedly ask for an “articulable reason” for the traffic stop. Of course, this is nonsense. It’s the police officer’s job to help enforce the rules of the road and to keep people safe. 

In a nutshell, Sovereign Citizens believe that practically none of the rules of the road apply to them. They don’t believe the government has the right to issue them a license, they don’t believe in moving violations and will go to great lengths to evade accountability.