An Instagram account linked to the alleged Porepunkah gunman, Dezi Freeman, has revealed a disturbing history of anti-authority rhetoric, including a post stating that the “only good cop is a dead cop.” As Victorian police intensify their search for Freeman, an analysis of his social media activity since 2019 paints a picture of an individual with a deep-seated aversion to state authority, even calling for the “extermination” of politicians.
ABC NEWS Verify has meticulously reviewed Freeman’s social media comments and podcast interviews, which reveal a long-standing adherence to pseudo-law beliefs and a profound resistance to police authority. This investigation into his digital footprint provides insight into his radical ideologies.
Uncovering Freeman’s Digital Footprint
The Instagram account, which does not explicitly carry Freeman’s name, was confirmed to belong to him by ABC NEWS Verify. On December 1, 2023, the account commented on another post with an all-caps tirade labeling police as “the new Gestapo” and advocating for their incineration.
“COPS ARE THE ENEMIES OF HUMANITY. ESPECIALLY HERE IN AUSFALIURE [sic] WHERE THEY HAVE DECLARED WAR ON AUSSIES. COPS ARE THE NEW GESTAPO. THEIR LIVES ARE DEDICATED TO INFLICTING THEIR HATE AND SUPERIORITY COMPLEXES ON OTHERS AND CAUSING AS MUCH HARM, MISERY AND DESTRUCTION AS POSSIBLE. THE ONLY GOOD COP IS A DEAD COP. PREFERABLY INCINERATED 🔥,” the comment read.
Further evidence linking the account to Freeman includes a profile image that appeared in a Parks Victoria X post from 11 years ago, credited to “Dezi Freeman.” Although the original post has been deleted, cached search results confirm the image’s association with Freeman’s Instagram account.
Freeman’s Pseudo-Legal Ideology
Freeman’s descent into pseudo-legal beliefs is documented elsewhere online. Business records from 2003 show a freelance photography business registered under the name Dezi Freeman, a name he adopted after discarding his birth name, Desmond Filby. The term “Freeman” is often used by those subscribing to pseudo-legal theories, although it is unclear if this influenced his name change.
In a mid-2019 podcast interview, Freeman claimed to have “arrested” a magistrate and recounted multiple court appearances, including a dispute with neighbors that was featured in a 2018 episode of A Current Affair. He also advised his wife against paying a speeding fine, which he labeled “unlawful,” until her driver’s license was revoked.
“The only reason that anyone pays a fine or goes along with these corrupt, unlawful acts perpetrated on us is when you take it to its logical conclusion, it’s all just about what’s enforced down the barrel of a policeman’s gun,” Freeman argued.
Escalating Aversion to Authority
Freeman’s postings and podcast history reflect an escalating aversion to state authority, extending to calls for the “extermination” of politicians. In a Facebook group named “Truth and Justice,” he commented under an image of then-Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, stating, “The Filthy criminals just ignore us and do whatever they want. They all need to be exterminated.”
His online interactions often centered on counteracting local authorities. In May 2020, Freeman warned group members to “beware of ‘friendly’ cops,” describing them as “corporate mercenary predators.” In April of the same year, he responded to a video about police disbanding a camp of Indigenous rough sleepers, asserting, “Me. I’m gonna arrest them.”
COVID-19 and Conspiracy Theories
Freeman’s aversion to authority is traceable to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he expressed skepticism about the virus’s legitimacy and criticized safety measures as authoritarian overreach. In July 2020, he offered “$1,000 CASH” to anyone who could prove COVID-19 statistics were genuine and referred to masks as “muzzles.”
“It’s just a weak excuse to cart off anyone they don’t [sic] like, pump them full of God knows what and scare others into submission while revealing what a pack of deranged satanic totalitarian Nazis they are,” he wrote in December 2020.
By late 2021, Freeman’s arrest by local police was reported in the group, with accusations of assault by “state hired thugs.”
Current Situation and Police Response
Despite Freeman’s beliefs, police have made it clear that he is armed and dangerous. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stated that Freeman possesses “multiple, powerful firearms,” including long arms, although none were recovered from the scene of the alleged crime.
The search for Dezi Freeman continues, as authorities work to apprehend him and address the broader implications of his anti-authority rhetoric and pseudo-legal beliefs.
