President Joe Biden honored those individuals who defended the US Capitol against the January 6, 2020 insurrection.
On Friday, Biden held a ceremony to celebrate the democracy defenders and acknowledge the anniversary of the 2020 insurrection.
During the event, the president presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to several individuals. The awarded list included law enforcement officers who were injured defending the Capitol, a Capitol Police officer that died a day after the rebellion, and officers who died by suicide after defending the Capitol. He also gave medals to elected officials and election workers who rejected to overturn the 2020 election.
President Biden noted that the ceremony is “bittersweet” but says the honorees “embody the best before, during and after January the 6, 2021.”
“All of it was fueled by lies about the 2020 election but on this day two years ago our democracy held because we the people…did not flinch,” President Biden says.
He continued, “History will remember your names, they’ll remember your courage. They’ll remember your bravery. They’ll remember your extraordinary commitment to your fellow Americans.”
In addition, President Biden also had a slip-up and mixed up the month of the insurrection with July.
“Not a joke. If I can halt for a second and just say to you, the impact of what happened on July the 6th had international repercussions beyond what I think any of you can understand,” he said.
