Taylor James Johnatakis of Washington state was arrested in February 2021. His trial began last week. A jury found him guilty of felony counts of obstruction of an official proceeding, assaulting officers and civil disorder.

Judge Royce Lamberth became irritated with Johnatakis at a pretrial conference. The rioter kept saying he wanted to accept full liability for the charges but would then refuse to plead guilty.

At trial he provided no witnesses nor any defence.

Instead, he said: “I have repented all my sins,” asking the court to “discharge” the case – a phrase favoured by individuals in the sovereign citizen movement.