SA police raid alternative community meeting alleging group becoming ‘ideological and erratic’

Police have raided an alternative community south of Adelaide, alleging its members are becoming erratic and dangerous.

One man was arrested at an industrial block at Lonsdale on Thursday and charged with illegally possessing guns and ammunition.

Police said the group — which claims the government is corrupt and illegitimate — was becoming increasingly ideological and erratic and posed a threat to the community.

Heavily armed officers stormed the 12-acre property and removed people who were there for a regular meeting of the “Commonwealth Law Assembly”.

“These big four-wheel-drives came racing around here really fast and a big tanker-car came here with big machine gun things … and just screaming at us to come out,” group member Kerry Peterson said.

“They all had guns on us so we were scared because we didn’t know what was going on.

“They grabbed me and put my arm behind my back and were screaming at me to get out.”

Police arrested the block’s owner, 53-year-old Peter Haughton and charged him with possessing two unregistered guns and ammunition and not holding a firearms licence.

Police allege the group was becoming dangerous.

Prosecutor Lorolee Towler opposed bail for Mr Haughton and told the court he had threatened a police officer.

“The accused’s ideological and erratic behaviour is escalating and there are concerns for the community generally that should he be released on bail there’s a real risk to the safety of the community,” she said.

“There is significant police intelligence on our system which has suggested this person, Mr Haughton, has links to other offenders who have otherwise been found in possession of improvised explosive devices.”

But Mr Haughton’s lawyer, Andrew Ey, said his client had not been charged with inciting violence or any related offences.

Mr Haughton will remain in custody while authorities prepare a home detention report. He will face court again later this month.

Group members also reject they were planning any violence.

“No way, we have a spiritual group. We’re actually very peaceful. We don’t want any violence,” Ms Peterson said.

Members told the ABC the Commonwealth Law Assembly included a prayer and healing centre, a community garden and members were developing an Indigenous cultural centre.

They said it had 3,000 members and a strong sense of community.

“Everything we talk about doing is online,” group member Nick, who did not want to give his last name, said.

“We’re presenting the evidence of how the government officials are being criminally charged and committing treason and fraud in office and then they conceal it and do this sort of thing.”

There are other groups like this all over Australia, which typically say they are non-violent.

Such “Common Law” assemblies assert that the Australian political and legal systems are illegitimate and that the general population needs to take back power from them.

Last month, federal police arrested members of a different group they said had ordered fake federal police badges and were preparing to overthrow the government and arrest senior MPs and officials.