Far-right influencer Baked Alaska sentenced for his role in Capitol riot

A white nationalist influencer was sentenced to 60 days in prison on Tuesday for his role in the US Capitol riot.

Anthime Gionet, better known by his nickname "Baked Alaska", pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of unlawfully demonstrating inside the Capitol on 6 January 2021.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of six months behind bars.

Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 75 days in jail.

Gionet grew up in Alaska - his nickname is a reference to his birthplace and his love of marijuana - and worked for a record company and news site Buzzfeed before becoming a prominent alt-right influencer.

He became known for live streaming and grew his social media audience through a variety of racist and anti-Semitic posts and stunts, often involving harassing and insulting bystanders.

He was present at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, and was later arrested for defacing a Hanukkah display and pepper spraying a security guard.

On 6 January 2021, he livestreamed the Capitol attack and entered the building, at one point shouting "Occupy the Capitol, let's go!" and "We are the kraken! Unleash the kraken!"

He was also shown swearing at a Capitol police officer. Prosecutors later said that the footage he took was helpful in identifying others who were involved in the riot.

Gionet's Twitter account, with more than 120,000 followers, had been banned shortly after the Capitol riot but was reinstated last month. He's since used his account to plead for the reinstatement of other white nationalist and extremist figures.

Prior to the sentencing he tweeted saying that he has "learned a lot" since the Capitol riot and "grown to be a better person".

Gionet was also one of the subjects of documentary-maker Louis Theroux's BBC series Forbidden America, broadcast last year. During the filming of the show he started swearing and ranting at the journalist when questioned about his beliefs.