Romana Didulo, the so-called “Queen of Canada” cult leader who faces two charges, arrived for her first court appearance at Swift Current Provincial Court with cuffs on her wrists and ankles Friday.
As the 50-year-old stepped out of the police van, Didulo delivered a simple message to a small crowd of supporters and media.
“Remember, innocent until proven guilty,” she said as she entered the building at about 10:30 a.m. CST.
RAW VIDEO | ‘Queen of Canada’ talks to reporters ahead of first court appearance: 
‘Queen of Canada’ talks to reporters ahead of 1st court appearance
Romana Didulo, the so-called ‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader, told reporters she’s “innocent until proven guilty” as she headed into her first appearance at Swift Current Provincial Court in Saskatchewan Friday morning. She faces two charges after a raid on the cult’s compound on Wednesday.
The cult leader was one of the 16 people who were arrested by the RCMP after a raid at a compound in Richmound, Sask. on Wednesday.
All 16 people were initially released without charges but police quickly rearrested Didulo, who calls herself the ‘Queen of Canada’, and Ricky Manz, who owns the compound in the village located 365 kilometres west of Regina.
Didulo and Manz have both been charged with failure to comply with an undertaking and intimidation of a justice participant.
The failure to comply charge is because the pair were not supposed to contact each other. RCMP said the intimidation charge is related to an investigation in Richmound in July.
During her appearance, Didulo repeatedly told Judge Alan Jacobson that she did not consent to her arrest and that her case should be dismissed.
Jacobson was visibly annoyed as he instructed Didulo to not interrupt him.
Didulo was ultimately remanded into custody until a bail hearing on Monday.
Didulo said she plans to represent herself.
Manz was also remanded into custody for a bail hearing on Monday.
Ricky Manz owns the former school in Richmound, Sask. where the ‘Queen of Canada’ and her group have lived for two years. (Adam Bent/CBC News)’Uncharted territory’: expert
Christine Sarteschi, a professor at Chatham University who researches and monitors cults, said this is “uncharted territory” for Didulo and her followers, as this is the most trouble the cult leader has faced.
Although Didulo’s followers believe she is the ultimate authority in Canada, Sarteschi says Didulo has always seemed aware of the risk of law enforcement.
“It will be interesting to see if she does continue to comply with the police,” Sarteschi said in an interview on Friday.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure how to predict how she will act because this is a very serious thing.”
WATCH | ‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader arrested:
‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader arrested after RCMP raid at Richmound, Sask., compound
Saskatchewan RCMP arrested 16 adults, including cult leader Romana Didulo, in the village of Richmound, Sask., on Wednesday after a firearms investigation.
The cult began as part of the larger Q-Anon movement — which believes there is a secret cabal running the government — and has evolved into a sovereign citizen movement, Sarteschi said.
Sovereign citizens, also known as freemen of the land, believe laws don’t apply to them
Didulo tells her followers they do not have to pay taxes and set up her own fictitious court system, according to Sarteschi.
She said many of Didulo’s followers have rallied around Didulo as they try to rationalize the large police operation that ended with Didulo live streaming her own arrest by officers dressed in tactical gear.
“I’ve seen several posts saying: ‘How is she going to go to court when she has a court?’ Essentially, ‘Is it going to be her court? Whose court is she going to be in?’ So there is some confusion,” Sarteschi said.
At least three other people are expected to be charged, according to RCMP.
Details on those charges were not available as the court information had yet to be signed as of Thursday evening.
Since the cult set up base in Richmound — a village of about 120 people — there have been a number of complaints from locals, who accuse the group of harassing people and plotting to take over the town.
Didulo has spread various conspiracy theories through social media and, in October 2023, her group sent a Richmound administrator four “cease and desist” emails, which threatened village officials with a “publicly broadcast execution.”
Police say they raided the cult’s compound this week after receiving a report in August that one of its occupants had a firearm.
Officers seized 13 imitation semi-automatic handguns, ammunition and a large number of electronic devices.
Front Burner‘Queen of Canada’ cult leader arrested
On Wednesday, 16 people — including Romana Didulo, the cult leader known as the “Queen of Canada” — were arrested in the tiny Saskatchewan village of Richmound. RCMP released them the following day, but then re-arrested two unidentified individuals.
Didulo and her followers have been holed up in a decommissioned school there for two years. Their presence has been a source of ire for many locals, and ratcheted up divisions between the townspeople.
Today: What happens when a cult comes to town — especially in a time of such intense societal polarization?
Our guest is Rachel Browne, an investigative journalist and documentary maker who is currently working on a podcast for CBC about the impact that the “Queen of Canada” has had on this tiny village.
For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts [https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts]