Cleveland school therapist charged in Capitol Hill riots
CLEVELAND — A Cleveland school occupational therapist who resigned after the riots at the U.S. Capitol was charged Thursday with taking part in the breach.
Christine Priola, 49, was arrested at her home and charged with entering a restricted building, violent entry and unlawful activities on Capitol grounds, said FBI spokeswoman Vicki Anderson.
Court documents don’t list an attorney for Priola, and a phone number listed for her has been disconnected.
Priola submitted a resignation letter to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District after social media users linked her to photos taken of supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed and ransacked the Capitol.
ARRESTED: Christine Priola, a school therapist who stormed the Capitol & got to @VP’s chair. She quit her job the day after the riot saying: I will be switching paths to expose the global evil of human trafficking & pedophilia, including in our govt & children’s services agencies pic.twitter.com/kYTsETVVWX
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) January 14, 2021
Her resignation letter said she was switching careers to focus on exposing human trafficking and pedophilia, citing beliefs that are in line with a conspiracy theory espoused by some Trump supporters.
Federal agents said in court documents that they found a coat, a sign and other items in Priola’s home that matched those that she had with her in the Capitol.
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