Richmound Raid Targets “Kingdom of Canada” Group
Romana Didulo and Ricky Manz face multiple charges
By Kate Winquist
RICHMOUND — RCMP arrested 16 people, including self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada” Romana Didulo, in a large-scale raid on a decommissioned school in Richmound early Wednesday, September 3.
Police moved in around 4:30 a.m. with more than 30 vehicles, tactical units, drones, and police dogs. By 6 a.m., 11 women and five men were in custody. Officers also searched eight RVs on the property and seized four replica handguns but found no real firearms.
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The operation followed an August 25 tip that a firearm was inside the school, bolstered by other intelligence suggesting risks to public safety. All 16 detainees were initially released the next day, but Didulo, 50, and property owner Ricky Manz, 61, were rearrested for breaching no-contact orders and now face multiple charges, including intimidation of a justice system participant.
In court Friday, Didulo challenged the court’s legitimacy before being ordered to stop interrupting proceedings. She remains in custody ahead of a bail hearing Monday, where she plans to represent herself. Manz, facing additional charges of assault and resisting arrest, is also scheduled for a bail hearing the same day.
Authorities say more charges are expected against other group members.
The arrests cap months of rising tension in Richmound, a community of 120, where residents complained of harassment and threats from Didulo’s followers. Health officials have since deemed the school uninhabitable, ordering all occupants out by September 5.