By Catherine Masters
Bert Potter yesterday sought legal advice to fight his eviction from Centrepoint - then went to a movie about the Waco massacre.
The convicted child sex offender has been told by his probation officer he must be gone by June 25 from the commune he founded in Albany.
Potter, accused
by former residents of being a cult leader with the power to control and manipulate, would not speak to the New Zealand Herald directly yesterday.
But asked what Potter thought of Waco - The Rules of Engagement, supporter Dave Mendelssohn said last night: "He said he thought it was quite frightening and would hope that sort of thing would never happen in New Zealand."
Opponents say it is chilling that Potter chose to go to a film about a massacre which took place in Texas involving a cult leader.
"I just feel frozen," said former resident Barri Leslie.
"He might have gone there for legal points. Let's hope that's what it is and nothing more sinister."
After a long siege by the FBI in April 1993, cult leader David Koresh and more than 80 of his followers committed mass suicide after federal agents attacked.
The documentary-style film festival movie criticises the media, which it says swallowed United States Government attempts to present the siege in a way advantageous to it.
It puts a case that the massacre was state-sponsored terrorism.
Other Potter opponents still living at the commune doubt its founder has any sinister intentions and do not expect a standoff with police or encouragement of mass suicides.
Ayran Von Dreger, a Centrepoint resident and member of a new community group which opposes Potter, said he believed Potter went because he wanted corroboration that Government agencies created hype and public hysteria.
But he thought Potter and his followers had painted themselves into a corner.
"They're so extreme, Potter and Mendelssohn, especially in the adult-child sex thing, that they do eventually whip up a public hysteria."
Opponents said Potter had been saying he would not go without a fight.
Labour's justice spokesman, Phil Goff, said the decision to remove Potter was better late than never.
"It wasn't a very bright idea in the first place, sending him back with his fellow paedophiles."
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