Man charged with inciting others to arrest WA Premier Mark McGowan
A 74-year-old has been charged for allegedly posting videos to social media inciting people to arrest WA Premier Mark McGowan and other government ministers.
Wayne Kenneth Glew, who is part of an informal “sovereign citizens” movement, was arrested by officers from the State Security Investigation Group at his property in Glenfield, in mid-west WA.
Mr Glew has been charged with inciting another to commit an indictable offence, after it was alleged he posted a series of videos on social media using threatening language and calling on others to arrest government and health officials.
He made the videos after documents claiming to be arrest warrants were handed in at Perth Police Station in January.
This isn’t the first time Mr Glew has caused trouble, after he was declared a “vexatious litigant” (meaning he takes legal action without sufficient reason) by the WA Supreme Court.
In 2018, his property was seized by the local council in lieu of $300,000 in council rates and legal costs, which he refused to pay because he believed local governments were unconstitutional. At the trial, he cited the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights, and questioned the magistrate’s authority to hear the case.
Mr Glew is a member of the informal movement of “freemen” or “sovereign citizens” who believe Australian laws only apply if you consent to them.
The former police officer also has a significant following on social media, where he shared a document that he claims allows individuals to become “Commonwealth Public Officers” by pledging their allegiance to the Queen.
Wayne Glew claims that one can become a “Commonwealth Public Officer” by simply completing this form and having it witness, even though impersonating a Commonwealth public official can lead to serious consequences. Image: Wayne Glew CPO (Facebook)
In a separate matter, two people were charged with falsely representing themselves as Commonwealth public officials after they served electronic arrest warrants on government officials.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Todd White, the officer in charge of the State Security Investigation Group, said the documents and those handed in to Perth Police Station were not lawful.
“Any person impersonating either a Commonwealth or state public official, or attempting to serve or enforce these types of documents, may commit an offence and could be subject to a police investigation,” he said.
Mr Glew was granted bail and is due to face Geraldton Magistrates Court in March.
The other two people were also granted bail and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court later this month.
Image: Wayne Glew (Facebook)