WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Massachusetts State Police were engaged in an hours-long standoff that led to the arrest of 11 heavily armed individuals on an interstate highway early Saturday morning.
According to the State Police, a trooper saw two vehicles in the breakdown lane around 1:30 a.m. Several people were present and appeared to be refueling the vehicles, Boston 25 News reported.
The trooper stopped to assist and noticed the individuals — later determined to be 11 men — wearing tactical, military-style uniforms.
The trooper asked to see their driver’s licenses and gun licenses.
“The individuals indicated that they had neither, or they did not have them on their person,” MSP Col. Christopher Mason said.
During the encounter, the men fled into the nearby woods off Route 95/128, Fox News reported.
“Some had slung long rifles, some hard firearms, pistols, and some had a combination of both,” Mason said.
The men identified themselves as part of a group called “Rise of the Moors,” according to State Police. Although the group says they are not a sovereign citizen organization, Mason said they are a group that “does not recognize our laws.”
“Their self-professed leader wanted it very much known their ideology is not anti-government,” Mason said. “Our investigation will provide us more insight into what their motivation, what their ideology is.”
When the men fled into the woods and the stand-off began, police issued a shelter-in-place order for Wakefield and Reading residents until the issue resolved, according to the Wakefield Police Department.
“No threats were made, but these men should be considered armed and dangerous,” the police advised. “We are asking residents in these areas to lock their doors and remain inside their homes.”
During the standoff, the group posted YouTube videos insisting they are peaceful. The men in the videos also claim they are abiding by “federal laws and judicial opinions” of the United States, but do not specify state laws.
According to Fox News, one of the men claims he has a body camera that has recorded the entire incident. One video showed the men standing in the middle of the highway holding a Moroccan flag and a man narrating a video said, “We are North America Morocco.”
The men claim they are not sovereign citizens, black identity extremists, anti-police or anti-government, according to the final video posted about 7 a.m.
Two individuals were arrested about 6:40 a.m., according to police.
Two suspects have been arrested by members of @NEMLEC on North Ave, Wakefield. MSP has taken custody of and transported them to one of our barracks. The situation is ongoing w/remaining members of the group. We continue to work to resolve the situation peacefully. https://t.co/1bZWM1vYKS
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) July 3, 2021
The standoff ended about 10:30 a.m. when the remaining suspects were taken into custody, MSP tweeted. The shelter in place order was lifted about 11:00 a.m.
Remaining suspects on highway have been taken into custody by MSP Special Tactical Operations Team. 7 additional suspects being transported for booking. We will now conduct sweeps of their 2 vehicles and woods. Total of 9 in custody counting the initial 2 arrests. https://t.co/eP2KkzZFpo
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) July 3, 2021
Although the southbound lanes reopened, the northbound lanes remained closed at the time of publication while police conduct sweeps of the vehicles and wooded areas surrounding the vicinity of the standoff.
