Washington commemorates the storming of the Capitol, one year ago today. President Biden and Vice President Harris delivered a speech in the main hall of the House of Representatives, where an angry mob broke into on January 6, 2021.
Biden called on Americans in his speech to stand up to political violence and lies. “We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie. This is the truth: A former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.”
The president, who was referring to Trump’s unproven claim that electoral fraud had been committed, holds his predecessor fully responsible for the storming of the Capitol. “For the first time in history, a president not only lost the election, but also tried to block the transfer of power.”
Biden said Trump was more interested in power than principles and values. “He served his own interests more than the interests of the country. And he thought his bruised ego was more important than our democracy. He couldn’t accept that he had lost.”
‘Date etched in memory’
According to Vice President Harris, the date January 6, 2021 is etched in many people’s minds, as was September 11, 2001. She sees the storming of the Capitol as an attack not only on democratically elected politicians, but also as an attack on American institutions, values and ideals.
Harris said January 6 is a symbol of democracy in the United States, both for the strength of that form of government and for the vigilance it takes. “If we are not vigilant, democracy will not last. It will falter and fail.” Harris calls on Americans to unite to defend democracy.
Correspondents Marieke de Vries and Lucas Waagmeester take you back to January 6, 2021:
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