About a hundred cars lined the streets of Richmound on Saturday to demand the departure of conspiracy theorist and self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada” Romana Didulo and her supporters.
Many residents of this southwestern Saskatchewan community and surrounding communities toured the old school where Didulo and her followers settled after their expulsion from Kamsack, Saskatchewan.
Richmound residents demonstrated at the site when Romana Didulo invited the public to meet her on Saturday.
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A group of protesters on Saturday in front of the old school in the village of Richmound, Saskatchewan.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Coralie Hodgson
For minutes, horns rang out throughout the village to express the demonstrators’ dissatisfaction.
Protesters also wanted to express their concern as Romana Didulo and her group settled in the small village, which is 400 km from Regina and close to the Alberta border.
Not only do we want this group to leave our village, but we also don’t want any other community in our province or anywhere else in Canada or the world to have to deal with this situation and the stress that comes with it, says Shauna Sehn, one protester.
Locally, at the old Richmound School, members of the conspiracy group affiliated with the QAnon movement were seen with phones in hand, filming the protesters.
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A member of the Queen of Canada group films protesters.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Ernst Jeudy
Concerned elected officials
On Saturday morning, before the rally, during a press conference, the mayors of the three villages of Richmound, Fox Valley and Leader asked the provincial and federal governments for help so that the self-proclaimed Queen of Canada leaves the site as quickly as possible.
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Richmound Mayor Brad Miller (left) and Fox Valley Mayor Sean Checkley.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Ernst Jeudy
According to them, the presence of Romana Didulo and her group poses a threat to southwestern Saskatchewan.
“I am extremely concerned because we have regulations in place for the city of Richmound and for Saskatchewan,” said Richmound Mayor Brad Miller.
“I think the provincial and federal governments and other authorities need to look into the matter so that we no longer have this problem,” he continues.
In a message posted on Facebook on Wednesday calling on residents to take part in the weekend demonstration, Mr Miller had already appealed for help.
“Things continue to escalate, we need help to continue protesting and prevent the conspiracy theorist, cult leader and so-called queen Romana Didulo from taking up permanent residence in our city,” he wrote.
We want to disturb them and show them that we haven’t given up!
Sean Checkley, mayor of Fox Valley, another community in southwestern Saskatchewan, is most concerned about the safety of students at his local school.
Richmound children go to school in Fox Valley, he says, adding that the village of Richmound and its mayor, Brad Miller, are concerned about Fox Valley children attending schools mentioned by the group in its threat.
Children shouldn’t have to worry about this. The community is therefore united and continues to support each other because it affects neighboring communities, believes Sean Checkley.
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After being expelled from Kamsack, Romana Didulo and her followers settled in an old school in Richmound, Saskatchewan. (archive photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada
The owner of the old Richmound School invited the Queen of Canada to stay there. Ricky Manz was arrested on Wednesday and faces assault charges.
Supporters of Romana Didulo also threatened executions against elected officials and residents of the village just over a week ago.
Lots of tension
A Richmound resident, granted anonymity by CBC/Radio-Canada, said Thursday she was concerned about the presence of Romana Didulo and her supporters. There’s a lot of anger, a lot of tension.
“I would like to see her go […]. At the same time, I don’t want them to go to another community. It’s not nice, it’s not fair. What kind of person publishes suspension orders and public execution lists? How can this happen? »
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Barriers have been erected around the old school where Romana Didulo and her supporters live. (archive photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada
In an email Friday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said community safety is its top priority.
We are aware that certain activities are planned for the weekend. In the near future, Saskatchewan RCMP will maintain a 24-hour police presence with regular patrols in the community, including on Saturdays and Sundays, police wrote.
Another rally is planned for Sunday to continue calling for the removal of the self-proclaimed Queen of Canada.
Richmound Mayor Brad Miller announced they will remain mobilized until they win their case.
With information from Laura Sciarpelletti and Ernst Jeudy