WASHINGTON — Capitol visitors can now see a permanent tribute to law enforcement officers who defended the building during the January 6, 2021 assault, following the quiet installation of a memorial plaque that had been delayed for three years.
Workers placed the commemorative marker near the Capitol’s West Front, close to where some of the most intense confrontations took place that day. The installation occurred on the Senate side of the building after senators unanimously approved moving forward with the project in January, following delays by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The memorial bears an inscription reading: “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 Washington Post reported witnessing the installation around 4 a.m. Saturday morning.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina spearheaded the installation effort while marking the fifth anniversary of the Capitol breach. Reflecting on his memories of hearing intruders forcing their way into the building, Tillis praised the officers who faced thousands of former President Donald Trump’s supporters before eventually forcing them out. “We owe them eternal gratitude, and this nation is stronger because of them,” Tillis stated.
The violent crowd that overwhelmed police barriers and stormed the building were repeating Trump’s unfounded allegations about election fraud following his 2020 defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. The mob halted the congressional certification of Biden’s electoral victory for several hours, forcing lawmakers to evacuate and causing significant property damage before authorities restored order. Over 140 officers from the Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police, and other departments sustained injuries during the incident.
The battle over the plaque’s installation unfolded as Trump prepared to return to the presidency and maintained Republican congressional support. Trump has characterized January 6 as a “day of love” and has attempted to shift responsibility for the violence onto Democrats and law enforcement.
Lawmakers enacted legislation in 2022 mandating the creation of an honorary plaque bearing the names of officers “who responded to the violence that occurred,” with a one-year installation deadline that went unmet.
Following more than a year of inaction and a legal challenge filed by two officers who defended the Capitol, Johnson claimed earlier this year that technical issues with the statute prevented the plaque’s installation.
Tillis subsequently brought a resolution to the Senate floor, which passed without opposition, authorizing placement of the memorial on the Senate side.
Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, one of the plaintiffs in the ongoing lawsuit, indicated the legal action would continue despite the installation. Hodges, who was trapped and injured by rioters in heavy doors near where the plaque now stands, called Saturday’s overnight installation a “fine stopgap” but noted it doesn’t fully satisfy the original law’s requirements, including listing all officers’ names and meeting other technical specifications.
“The weight of a judicial ruling would help secure the memorial against future tampering,” Hodges explained. “Our lawsuit persists.”
