Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised concerns over the escalating danger posed by extremist beliefs, expressing his lack of empathy for Dezi Freeman, a self-identified sovereign citizen responsible for the deaths of two Victorian police officers.
Albanese commented on Freeman’s demise, stating it was a positive outcome, following the 56-year-old’s death at the hands of police after a prolonged three-hour standoff at a rural location in north-east Victoria.
“I simply have no sympathy for him, that’s where I stand,” Albanese remarked during an interview with ABC Radio.
Since August 26, 2025, Freeman had been the most sought-after individual in Australia, after he fatally shot officers who were attempting to serve a warrant at his residence in Porepunkah.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, while leaving a third officer severely injured.
Reflecting on the officers’ funerals held at the Victoria Police Academy, Albanese shared that these were some of the most harrowing experiences he has ever encountered.
‘I’ll never forget being in a room with so many tough, hardened people who were absolutely distraught,’ he said.
‘The tears, the pain, it was just devastating.’
Anthony Albanese (pictured) said he had ‘no sympathy’ for dead fugitive Dezi Freeman
Asked whether it could ever be ‘really good when anyone is killed, despite their crimes’, Albanese stood firm, saying Freeman’s death was the result of his own choices.
‘He made the decision to murder two police officers. He then made the decision not to give himself up and not go through a legal process,’ Albanese said.
‘He always was going to be brought to justice.’
Albanese also warned of the dangers posed by sovereign citizen ideology, which security agencies now treat as an emerging extremist threat.
‘They don’t respect any lawful process,’ he said.
‘They regard police, government and society itself as illegitimate, and they place themselves outside it.’
‘That ideology led him to murder two police officers in cold blood,’ Albanese said.
‘And to not give himself up or go through a legal process — that’s a decision that rests solely with Desi Freeman. He’s the mentality of the sovereign citizens. You know, the head of ASIO has made very clear warnings about what this ideology represents.’
The PM criticised ‘sovereign citizen’ ideology which Freeman (pictured) openly espoused
After Freeman’s death, Victoria Police confirmed an investigation is under way into whether anyone helped Freeman during his seven-month escape.
Albanese said police were working closely with national security agencies.
‘There is always strong cooperation between Victoria Police, the AFP and our intelligence agencies,’ he said.
‘People can be assured every level of cooperation will be granted.’
Freeman’s actions triggered one of the largest manhunts in Australian history, involving hundreds of police, helicopters, specialist dogs and intelligence operatives.
He evaded capture for 216 days, hiding in rugged alpine bushland, before police tracked him to a property near Walwa, where he was shot dead on Monday morning.
‘There was an opportunity for him to surrender peacefully, which he did not take,’ Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said after the operation.
