A plaque honoring police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 attack has been installed after a three-year delay. The plaque is located on the Senate side of a hallway near where some of the worst fighting occurred that day.
Key Takeaways
A plaque honoring police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6 was installed after a three-year delay. The plaque is located near where some of the worst fighting occurred that day and includes a QR code linking to names of responding officers.
- Plaque honors officers who protected Capitol during Jan. 6 attack
- Installed in hallway near site of violent confrontation
- Includes QR code linking to document with officers' names
- Installation delayed for three years due to political factors
- Some Democrats criticize lack of public ceremony
The inscription reads: "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." Next to the plaque is a sign with a QR code that leads to a document listing the names of officers who responded to the attack.
The installation comes after Congress passed a law in 2022 requiring the honorific plaque, but it was not erected within the one-year deadline. The delay occurred as former President Donald Trump returned to office and Republicans downplayed the violence of January 6. Democrats had installed replicas of the plaque outside their offices while calling for its official placement.
The plaque was quietly installed around 4 a.m. Saturday, prompting criticism from some Democrats who said it should have been done with a public ceremony. New York Representative Adriano Espaillat suggested congressional leaders wanted to avoid attention by installing it at that hour.
Senator Thom Tillis led recent efforts to install the plaque after commemorating the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Senate floor. "We owe them eternal gratitude, and this nation is stronger because of them," he said about the officers who were overwhelmed by Trump supporters but eventually pushed them out.
Officer Daniel Hodges, one of two who sued over the plaque's installation, called it a "fine stopgap" but not in full compliance with the law. The original statute specified that the plaque should be placed on the west front and list officers' names directly. A nearby sign now features a QR code leading to these details.
The Justice Department has sought dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing Congress already recognized law enforcement personnel by approving the plaque's display.
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