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3w ago

French 'Sovereign Citizen' Faces Trial Over Viral Police Confrontation

Pierre L., who rejects the legitimacy of the French state, appears in court in Dunkerque, facing charges including refusal to comply with police checks and violence against law enforcement.

«Je ne contracte pas avec vous ! »: l’interpellation lunaire d’un couple de conspirationnistes
Un homme doit comparaître mardi 1er avril à Dunkerque (Nord) pour avoir refusé de se soumettre à un contrôle de gendarmerie. (Illustration)
Pierre L., 53 ans, a écopé de 5 mois de prison avec sursis au tribunal de Dunkerque ce 1er avril 2025.
Pierre et Laëtitia Legrand, au tribunal de Dunkerque (Nord), le 1<sup>er</sup> avril 2025.

Overview

  • Pierre L., a 52-year-old man aligned with the 'sovereign citizens' movement, is on trial in Dunkerque for refusing a police check and other related offenses.
  • The April 2024 incident gained widespread attention after a video of Pierre L. and his partner refusing police orders went viral online.
  • Pierre L. claims the French state is a private company and asserts he is appearing in court as a 'legal personality,' which he describes as a trademark registered with the French intellectual property office.
  • The charges against him include refusal to comply with police checks, lack of insurance, refusal of alcohol and drug tests, and alleged violence against a gendarmerie officer.
  • If convicted, Pierre L. faces up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine, underscoring the legal and societal challenges posed by fringe movements rejecting state authority.