A right-wing video blogger who once filmed a law enforcement music video was arrested by the FBI on Saturday after livestreaming himself during the January 6 uprising while lounging in the Capitol.
In a criminal complaint released Saturday, the Justice Department said it had arrested Anthime Joseph Gionet, the far-right activist better known as “Baked Alaska,” on charges of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Gionet, who tested positive for COVID-19 a few days before the riot and currently has unrelated charges for allegedly pepper spray from a bouncer last year, traveled to DC this month for the “Stop The Steal” events. As rioters stormed Congress, Gionet, a former BuzzFeed employee turned far-right pro-Trump activist, livestreamed herself during the event on DLive, a popular video platform that eventually removed the stream.
As rioters stormed Congress, Gionet, a former BuzzFeed employee turned far-right pro-Trump activist, livestreamed herself on DLive, a popular video platform that eventually removed the stream.
But, like many rioters last week, his festive messages from the Capitol may haunt him. Much of the evidence against Gionet presented in Saturday’s arrest statement is directly attributed to his own 27-minute live stream.
The defendant may be heard commenting ‘1776 baby’, ‘I will not leave boys, don’t worry’, ”the affidavit says. “After 2:52 minutes into the YouTube video, the defendant, who is livestreaming the event from his device, turns the phone over to reveal his face and is clearly identifiable.”
At one point, Gionet filmed himself entering an office, picking up a phone and making an “ alleged phone call to United States Senate staff. ”
Later in the video, he entered another office, sat on a couch and put his feet on a table. “The defendant is encouraging others not to break anything,” added the affidavit.
VICE reported earlier this week that the FBI used Gionet’s live stream of the riot to find and track down other participants. The agency released several posts last week seeking information about individuals in the pro-Trump crowd, including footage taken straight from the Baked Alaska video.
On Friday, Daniel Goodwyn, a “self-proclaimed” Proud Boy, was arrested by federal authorities who said in court cases that he had been called by name on Gionet’s live stream.
Federal authorities say they have charged at least 100 people in the wake of the riots, including a Texas real estate agent who took a private jet to DC, a former Latin Kings mobster, a peyote-loving ‘QAnon Shaman’ and a woman who was released by a high school friend after allegedly pinching House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s name tag.
The FBI also announced charges against another man who allegedly stormed the Capitol on Saturday.
Law enforcement officials said Jack Jesse Griffith, aka Juan Bibiano, took part in the event, citing his own posts on Facebook and Instagram, where he reportedly wrote, “I even helped with storms. [sic] the capital today, but it only made matters worse. “