Police outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection were awarded Tuesday with four Congressional Gold Medals.
Why it matters: The medals are Congress' greatest expression of national appreciation and will be placed at the U.S. Capitol Police headquarters, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institution.
- The awards are a result of legislation passed by Congress that was signed into law by President Biden last year.
- U.S. Capitol Police and the D.C. Metropolitan Police officers who responded to the attack were among those recognized.
What they're saying: "Exactly 23 months ago, our nation suffered the most staggering assault on democracy since the Civil War. January 6 was a day of horror and heartbreak. It is also a moment of extraordinary heroism," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at the ceremony Tuesday.
- "Staring down deadly violence and despicable bigotry, our law enforcement officers bravely stood in the breach, ensuring that democracy survived on that dark day," Pelosi added.
- "So, on behalf of the United States Congress and the American people, it is my honor to present the Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police and every hero of January 6, from every agent that responded that day."
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