Visitors to the U.S. Capitol now encounter a poignant reminder of the tumultuous events of January 6, 2021, a day etched in infamy for the violent attack against this iconic symbol of democracy. As they traverse the Capitol’s West Front, close to where the fiercest clashes unfolded, a newly installed plaque pays tribute to the officers who valiantly stood their ground, many of whom sustained injuries in the line of duty.
This commemorative plaque, installed discreetly on the Senate side of the hallway, serves as a tribute to the officers’ bravery. Its installation comes three years after legislation mandated its erection. The Senate took the lead, voting unanimously to place it after House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, had stalled the process. The plaque carries a solemn message: “On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on January 6, 2021. Their heroism will never be forgotten.”
The presence of this plaque was first brought to public attention by The Washington Post, with its reporter observing the installation in the early hours of a Saturday morning. Its quiet placement stands in stark contrast to the chaotic scenes it memorializes.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis spearheaded the effort to install the plaque, marking the fifth anniversary of the attack. Reflecting on the harrowing day, Tillis recounted the unsettling sounds of the breach. He expressed deep gratitude to the officers, acknowledging their critical role in eventually repelling the throngs of supporters of then-President Donald Trump, who were incited by baseless claims of election fraud.
On that fateful day, the mob, fueled by false allegations of a stolen election following Trump’s defeat by Democrat Joe Biden, forced their way past police barriers, halting the certification of Biden’s victory for hours. This violent incursion sent lawmakers fleeing and left the Capitol vandalized before order was restored. In the chaos, over 140 officers from various law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department, suffered injuries.
The mob of rioters who violently pushed past police and broke in were echoing Trump’s false claims of a stolen election after the Republican was defeated by Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. The crowd stopped the congressional certification of Biden’s victory for several hours, sent lawmakers running and vandalized the building before police regained control. More than 140 officers from the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and other agencies were injured.
The fight to have the plaque installed came as Trump returned to office last year and the Republican Congress has remained loyal to him. Trump, who has called Jan. 6 a “day of love,” has tried to deflect blame on Democrats and police for instigating the attack.
Congress passed a law in 2022 that set out instructions for the honorific plaque listing the names of officers “who responded to the violence that occurred.” It gave a one-year deadline for installation, but the plaque never went up.
After more than a year of silence — and a lawsuit by two of the officers who fought at the Capitol that day — Johnson said at the beginning of the year that there were technical problems with the statute and the plaque could not be erected.
Tillis went to the Senate floor shortly afterward and passed a resolution, with no objections, to place the plaque on the Senate side.
One of the officers who sued, Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, said the lawsuit would continue. Hodges, who was crushed by the rioters in the heavy doors are steps away from where the plaque is now displayed, said Saturday that the overnight installation was a “fine stopgap” but that it was not in full compliance of the law. The original statute said that all of the officers names should be listed, among other technical specifications.
“The weight of a judicial ruling would help secure the memorial against future tampering,” Hodges said. “Our lawsuit persists.”
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Associated Press contributor Allison Robbert contributed to this report.
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