In an unprecedented development, Antony Vo, a 32-year-old American convicted for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, has fled to Canada seeking political asylum. Vo was sentenced to nine months in federal prison and ordered to report on June 14, 2024, but instead absconded across the northern border, adding a stunning new chapter to the ongoing fallout from the Capitol riot.
Conviction and Flight
Vo, a resident of Indiana, was found guilty by a Washington jury on four counts related to illegally entering the Capitol building and disorderly conduct during the riot, which sought to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory over then-President Donald Trump. He is one of more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the violent insurrection.
Rather than surrendering to authorities to begin his prison term, Vo made the fateful decision to flee to Canada. In refugee claim documents, he characterized the January 6 event as a “peaceful protest” that was “subverted as part of a domestic regime-change operation to politically assassinate Trump and his supporters.” Vo and his mother Annie, a Vietnamese refugee granted US asylum in 1991, were photographed smiling inside the Capitol during the riot.
Asylum Bid and Hopes for Pardon
Explaining his choice of Canada, Vo cited the country’s history of welcoming refugees, from Vietnam War draft-dodgers to the people who sheltered Edward Snowden in Hong Kong. He aims to remain in Canada “until the situation is safe” for his return to the US, expressing hope that Trump will pardon him and other January 6 defendants upon regaining the presidency.
When Donald Trump takes office, I hope he pardons me and the rest of the January 6 protestors.
– Antony Vo, Capitol riot convict seeking Canadian asylum
Trump, who has referred to the rioters as “patriots” and “political prisoners,” stated in a recent CNN town hall that he was “inclined to pardon many of them” if re-elected. With Trump set to return to the White House in January 2025, some defendants have moved to delay their trials or sentencing in anticipation of potential pardons.
Capitol Attack Aftermath Continues
The Capitol attack, which left over 140 police officers injured as they clashed with rioters wielding weapons and bear spray, continues to reverberate through the American political and legal landscape. While Trump himself faced charges for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results, the case has now been suspended under a policy barring prosecution of sitting presidents.
Vo’s flight to Canada and asylum bid represent a new frontier in the ongoing reckoning over January 6, raising unprecedented questions about the intersection of political violence, refugee law, and presidential pardon powers. As the 2024 election unfolds and more rioters face justice, the ultimate impact of that fateful day on America’s future remains to be seen.
