Capitol rioter asks judge for release to get married in Peru

25-year-old becomes latest to request international travel after 6 January arrest

A man facing four charges in connection to the Capitol riot has asked a court for permission to travel to Peru later this month, to marry.

An attorney for Troy Williams said on Tuesday that the 25-year-old’s fiancé lived in the South American country, and that they planned to marry in a couple of weeks.

Dwight E. Crawley, the attorney, wrote that Williams planned to travel to Peru on 23 February and return around two weeks later, to his home in Lexington, Kentucky.

Williams made the request to the United States District Court of the District of Columbia in accordance with the conditions of his release, which require a court’s permission to travel beyond the United States, CNN reported.

He was released following his arrest on charges related to the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, and has not been detained while awaiting trial, according to CNN. The charges against Williams are for entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct and unlawful picketing.

Mr Crawley, his attorney, added on Tuesday that “Williams understands that he must abide by all of the terms and conditions set by Pretrial Services concerning his travel.”

Williams attended the “Stop the Steal” rally outside the White House by Donald Trump on 6 January, before marching with a crowd toward the Capitol, who then besieged the building, according to court documents.

Williams added that there was a “herd mentality”, and allegedly told the FBI, "I wasn't doing anything wrong or inciteful. We were a part of something, there's cops here, they tried to stop us, they are not letting us in, but not fighting us."

Although requests for permission to travel beyond the US are usual requests by defendants released before trial, there has been criticism of such requests made by those arrested in connection to the Capitol riot.

The same US District Court last week approved a request from a woman who planned to travel to Mexico on a work-related holiday.