Missing Capitol Police Plaque Sparks Partisan Standoff on Fifth January 6 Anniversary

2026-01-06 politics

Washington D.C., Tuesday, 6 January 2026.
With the mandated police tribute still in storage five years later, over 100 lawmakers have mounted unofficial replicas to protest the absence of a formal January 6 memorial.

Legislative Stasis and Bureaucratic Gridlock

As the nation observes the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection, the physical absence of a congressionally mandated memorial at the Capitol underscores a deepening political paralysis. Although lawmakers approved legislation in March 2022 to install a plaque honoring the law enforcement officers who defended the building, setting a one-year deadline for its completion, the official marker remains in storage as of January 6, 2026 [1][3]. The Architect of the Capitol has been unable to comment on the display due to ongoing federal litigation, while House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office recently stated that the statute authorizing the tribute is “not implementable,” claiming proposed alternatives do not comply with the necessary standards [1][3].

A Divergent Historical Narrative

The dispute over the plaque serves as a tangible symbol of the fractured historical memory regarding the events of 2021. The political climate has shifted significantly following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House; in January 2025, he issued pardons for nearly all individuals charged in the Capitol attack, a group numbering approximately 1,500 defendants [1][2]. This clemency extended to Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader previously sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy [2]. Emboldened by this exoneration, Tarrio organized a march on January 5, 2026, retracing the rioters’ path from the White House to the Capitol, while President Trump scheduled a private policy forum with House Republicans at the Kennedy Center rather than participating in commemorative events at the Capitol [2][3].

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US Congress Capitol Riot