Convicted Jan. 6 rioter arrested as fugitive in B.C.

An American citizen convicted of participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill who said he was seeking asylum in Canada has been arrested as a “fugitive from U.S. justice,” according to authorities.

Antony Vo spoke to CTV News last week about his plans to apply for refugee status, saying he was fleeing persecution by the Biden administration.

On Monday, he was taken into custody in Whistler, the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed in a statement.

Vo was arrested under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act on the grounds that he was inadmissible to Canada and that there was no record of him travelling into the country at any official port of entry.

A publicly available verdict document from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia shows Antony Vo as guilty of entering and being disruptive on restricted building grounds, as well as violent entry or conduct in a Capitol building and demonstrating in a Capitol building.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail.

“They want to put me in prison for (what was) for me, it was a totally peaceful protest,” he told CTV News last week.

The 33-year-old from Indiana believes his nine-month jail sentence is unjust.

The CBSA declined to answer questions including whether Vo was still in custody, and when or if he would be turned over to U.S. authorities.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Penny Daflos