Was a 71-year-old great-grandmother prosecuted 'for simply praying at the Capitol on January 6th'?
On April 4, 2024, Rebecca Lavrenz was found guilty by a Washington, D.C., jury of four misdemeanor crimes in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
The charges were: entering and remaining, and disorderly conduct, in a restricted building; and disorderly conduct and demonstrating in a Capitol building.
An Army officer said in a court document Lavrenz was among “rioters who unlawfully entered the Capitol” to disrupt a congressional session. He said Lavrenz admitted she passed barriers to gain entry.
Lavrenz, 71, a great-grandmother from Colorado, maintained she was prosecuted for “praying in the Capitol Building for less than 10 minutes.”
The claim that Lavrenz was prosecuted for praying was made April 4 on social media by conservative political consultant Alex Bruesewitz, who has teased he will run for the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, who represents the Green Bay area.
