House Speaker Mike Johnson will be hosting a vigil for police officers who have died in the line of duty, while a memorial plaque honoring officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is still missing. A law passed by Congress required the compilation of a list of the names of the officers who fought against the mob that attacked the Capitol and for them to be displayed on a plaque on the west front of the Capitol building by March 2023. However, the plaque has not been installed yet, leading to complaints from lawmakers such as Rep. Zoe Lofgren. Johnson’s office is working with the Architect of the Capitol to get the plaque mounted, but no specific details have been provided.
The vigil, set to take place during National Police Week, will feature remarks by Johnson and family members of fallen police officers. The missing plaque symbolizes the Republican Party’s attempts to downplay or ignore Trump’s actions around the 2020 election, including the violent attack on the Capitol by his supporters. Former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone, who was injured during the Capitol riot, has expressed frustration at people not believing the events of the day, attributing it to the influence of Republicans spreading false information. More than 1,400 rioters have been charged for their actions on January 6, with some facing charges of causing serious bodily harm to officers as they stormed the Capitol while lawmakers certified Trump’s loss.
Trump has hinted at his willingness to pardon all rioters charged if he is elected president again, as he tries to escape his legal liability for his role in overturning the 2020 election results. Johnson has been criticized for his efforts to whitewash the events of January 6, such as releasing Capitol surveillance footage and making false claims about noncitizen voters being a threat to elections. The vigil for fallen police officers was initially planned to occur on the House steps, where pro-Trump rioters attacked officers, but has since been moved inside due to rain.
The absence of the memorial plaque honoring officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 represents a broader issue with acknowledging the events of that day. Johnson’s efforts to emphasize the attack on the Capitol and its implications have been overshadowed by his party’s attempts to undermine the seriousness of the events. Fanone’s experiences and frustrations highlight the challenges faced by those who were present on January 6 and continue to face disbelief and denial of what occurred. The lack of accountability for Trump and his supporters who played a role in the attack further complicates efforts to recognize the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers on that day.
