Cult of self-proclaimed 'Queen of Canada' threatens Sask. village with public executions
CBC
An extremist cult leader and her followers have set up camp in a small Saskatchewan village, 83 kilometres northwest of Maple Creek, near the Alberta border. The group has called for public execution of elected officials and other members in and around the community.
Romana Didulo is known as a far-right QAnon conspiracy theorist. She has declared herself the "Queen of Canada," among other titles including the national Indigenous leader.
She has amassed thousands of followers by pushing conspiracy theories and what she calls decrees through social media, particularly Telegram — a messaging app that has grown in popularity with the far right.
Didulo and some of her followers, who call themselves the 'Kingdom of Canada,' have been travelling around the country for some time. On Sept. 13, they were forced out of Kamsack, Sask., by the townspeople.
The cult then made its way to the village of Richmound on Sept. 15, and has been staying at the former Richmound School, having been invited by the property owner.
Richmound Mayor Brad Miller said village residents do not feel safe with them there.
"It's been escalating and the people are getting more and more tired of this, more mental health [concerns], more scared," Miller said.
Thomas Fougere of Community TV, a local independent news outlet based in Medicine Hat, Alta., has been covering the cult's presence in Richmound. He said the people there are nervous about the group's extreme beliefs, their behaviour and their potential impact on the children in the village.
The playground, which is near the school, is closed to children to avoid the possibility of a child being confronted.
On Sept. 24, after taking note of Kamsack's success in driving Didulo and her followers out of town, Richmound villagers protested with signs — parading their cars near the school, honking their horns and calling for the cult to leave.
"The people who were inside the school compound line, all of them were very agitated," said Fougere of Didulo's followers.
On Monday, followers of Didulo sent village administration at least four "cease and desist" emails, according to Miller. The notice was also posted to Telegram and shared across other social media platforms.
It addressed the mayor, village councillors, members of the fire department, RCMP members, Fougere and a school teacher — all by name — accusing them of corruption, bullying, and stalking, and calling these behaviours "dangerous," "illegal" and "immoral."
In the letter, the cult threatened that if the village did not follow the decrees of the "queen," they would receive judgment and "if found guilty of 'crimes against humanity' or 'treason,' would face "publicly broadcast execution upon yourselves, and undeserved devastation upon your children, grandchildren and families."
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