{
  "id": 15684269,
  "title": "Anti-government violence is growing. The response needs to be more than just increased policing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/anti-government-violence-is-growing-the-response-needs-to-be-more",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T01:36:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/anti-government-violence-is-growing-the-response-needs-to-be-more-than-just-increased-policing-294782"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Australian authorities and researchers have been sounding the alarm for years about growing anti-government and anti-authority sentiment in the country. This disturbing trend has led to an increase in threats against politicians and anyone in a position of authority. The Australian Federal Police reported 1,067 incidents of violent threats against high-office holders in 2025-26, a significant rise from 951 reports the previous year.\n\nSo, what exactly is anti-government extremism? It's not a single ideology or organization, but rather a spectrum of beliefs and attitudes that view government institutions as corrupt, illegitimate, or working against ordinary citizens. This sentiment can be found across the political spectrum, from the far left to the far right, and even among movements that reject the legitimacy or authority of the state entirely.\n\nThe consequences of this growing anti-government sentiment have been tragically illustrated by recent events. In August 2025, a man identified as a sovereign citizen, Dezi Freeman, shot and killed two Victorian police officers when they arrived at his property to serve a search warrant. Freeman had openly identified as a sovereign citizen and had a history of expressing hostility toward law enforcement. His case serves as a stark example of how anti-government extremism can escalate to violence, even if it doesn't always resemble traditional terrorism.\n\nBut why do some people with strong anti-government beliefs ultimately resort to violence? According to recent research, it often comes down to feelings of anger and a perception that the government lacks legitimacy. Our study of 1,595 Australians found that those who held anti-government conspiracy beliefs were more likely to support violent resistance against the government, as well as support violent intentions towards government officials. When these individuals perceived the government as being unfair or illegitimate, their willingness to use violence increased.\n\nThe obvious response to political violence is stronger security measures. Protecting politicians, monitoring credible threats, and intervening when people begin to move towards violence are all necessary steps. However, prevention requires a different approach. Governments need to focus on building trust and legitimacy with the public. This involves treating citizens with respect, making decisions fairly and without bias, being transparent about their motives, and giving people meaningful opportunities to participate in the political process.\n\nBy addressing the root causes of anti-government extremism - such as alienation, anger, and a sense of injustice - authorities can work to reduce the attractiveness of violent resistance. It's a complex issue that requires a multifaceted response, but failing to address the underlying conditions that fuel this sentiment is a dangerous gamble.",
  "summary": "Governments need the capacity to disrupt people moving towards violence. But they also need to reduce the conditions that can make such violence attractive.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}