Romana Didulo’s name might not be as instantly recognizable as other cult leaders in the modern age but the self proclaimed “Queen of Canada’’s antics have been grabbing attention since 2020. Now, she and her followers are settling inside of an abandoned school in a small town called Richmound in the province of Saskatchewan and it has upset the town’s residents as she brings all of her bizarre antics and baggage with her.
Didulo has been living in Canada since she was 15 and had several unsuccessful business ventures before she formed a political party, the Canada 1st Party, and adopted right-wing populist views. But in a matter of months she went from being just the leader of a political party to calling herself the nation’s queen and her decree was superior to the laws of the Canadian government. Her following surged within the Canadian subsect of the QAnon movement and many began literally following Didulo in a convoy across Canada. Her way of “governing” has been identified by experts as being akin to the sovereign citizen movement, an ideology that interprets common law to mean that they do not have to follow any government statutes.
Since then, Didulo’s actions range from printing her own currency, ordering the “arrest” of public officials for “COVID crimes,” claiming to be an alien, and allegations of abuse from former members of her cult. Her cult was escorted from the town of Kamsack in Saskatchewan by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police last month before settling in Richmond. The cult has set up a wire barrier to keep all outsiders out and have attempted to intimidate townsfolk by photographing them and denouncing them on livestreams.
The idea of settling in a patch of land and barring outsiders isn’t a new concept for cults. The People’s Temple, Buddhafield, the FLDS Church and the Branch Davidians are just some that have done so in the past. Just recently, the Rod of Iron Ministries, an offshoot of the Moonie cult, set up a compound in Waco, Texas. This isn’t a new tactic but the reaction from the citizens of Richmound is strong. The townsfolk have protested the cult’s presence by posting signs, blaring horns, flying the Canadian flag, and asking the cult to leave. Whether the cult remains or is escorted out remains to be seen. But multiple residents told VICE News they have no intention of letting up until the cult is out.
If you or a loved one is in a cult and needs assistance, contact the Cult Education Institute at culteducation.com
