REGINA - Sixteen individuals, including the self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada” Romana Didulo, were arrested by the RCMP on Wednesday in southwestern Saskatchewan. Didulo and her followers established a “Kingdom of Canada” compound in an abandoned school in Richmound, located west of Regina, in 2023.

Insp. Ashley St. Germaine reported that police were alerted last week about a firearm being present at the property. An operations team was subsequently organized to address the situation. A search warrant was executed on Wednesday morning, leading to the arrests of the individuals inside the building, in several recreational vehicles on-site, and at a nearby residence. During the search, authorities discovered four replica handguns.

Investigators are still gathering evidence and conducting interviews, but as of now, no formal charges have been filed. "Legally, we have 24 hours to either lay a charge, have a person before the courts or release them," St. Germaine stated. "If we release individuals without charges, that doesn’t mean that they may not be charged down the road. What that means is we potentially don’t have enough evidence to charge them right now."

Additionally, three dogs found on the property were taken into custody in good condition and transported to a shelter. Fire safety officials are also looking into the situation due to modifications made to the building.

Local residents have expressed concerns about the group's disruptive behavior. In July, the village office limited public access to prearranged appointments, citing harassment and intimidation of staff. Earlier this year, the owner of the property was charged with assaulting two officers.