3: Historical Cases of Dangerous Sovereigns: Acts of Extreme Violence Available to Purchase

This chapter seeks to explore some of the cases where sovereign citizens engaged in acts of violence leading to serious injury or death, with a focus on more historical cases. Highlighting the violence provides context for the ideological and strategic overlap that exists among members of the movement. Because some January 6 participants hold ideologies that align with the sovereign citizen movement and subsequently adopt their tactics in the legal realm, there may be an overlap in how some individuals justify engaging in violence. By examining these connections, we can better understand one’s path to violence.