A former school therapist was charged with several criminal charges over the attack on the United States Capitol after she resigned, citing several conspiracy theories as the reason behind her decision.
Christine Marie Priola was photographed at Vice President Mike Pence’s desk during the riots that broke out in Washington, DC on January 6 and left at least five dead, including a police officer.
Holding a sign that read “CHILDREN CALL FOR JUSTICE,” the 49-year-old man was photographed alongside other protesters who sat in the vice president’s seat in the Senate Chamber after the crowd invaded the heart of US democracy.
A day later, Priola resigned from her job as an occupational therapist in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
“I will change my path to expose the global evil of human trafficking and pedophilia, including in our government and child agencies,” she wrote in a letter of resignation dated January 7, released by the district to the local TV station WKYC.
The allegations that members of the government are involved in a child trafficking ring are totally unfounded, but consistent with several of the far-right conspiracy theories that QAnon believers have launched.
Among other things, the QAnon conspiracy theory states, without a hint of evidence, that President Donald Trump is a key figure in an elaborate and secret war against a “deep state” controlled by democrats and influential Hollywood figures who are strongly involved with child sex trafficking.
In his resignation letter, Priola added that he was also against the coronavirus vaccine and was opposed to union fees that “support the death of unborn children”.
According to the US Attorney’s Office in Cleveland, the former school therapist appeared before a federal judge on Thursday and was charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct, intentionally entering a restricted building and illegal activities on Capitol Hill.
The criminal complaint states that Priola was seen “occupying the seat of the vice president of the United States” within the Senate Chamber. After her appearance in front of the judge, she was later released on $ 20,000 bond.
The Capitol invasion was the climax of months of growing rhetoric, during which Trump and some of his closest allies repeatedly contested the result of the November 3 presidential election.
The president had raised the specter of fraud before the Americans even voted in November and continued to do so on election night, when he prematurely claimed victory.
In the intervening three months, Trump, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and several high-profile Republicans reiterated, without ever providing supporting evidence, that the election was rigged in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.
On the day of the disturbances, Trump encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol.
“We will never give up,” said the president as he addressed a large gathering of protesters near the White House for about 70 minutes.
“We will never give in. It doesn’t. You don’t give in when theft is involved.”
Thousands of hooligans, many of whom wore Trump paraphernalia and carried Confederate flags, later forced their way into the heart of American democracy, vandalizing offices and clashing with the police.
Protesters temporarily suspended the counting of votes from the Electoral College to ratify Biden’s victory.
Congress eventually resumed counting and certified the election results, with the president-elect scheduled to take office on January 20.
Win McNamee / Getty