NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Several vigils and rallies for democracy are being held across New York City and New Jersey on Thursday to mark one year since insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden's election win.
In the morning, Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney addressed a crowd gathered at the Upper East Side's Carl Schurz Park for the We Are One America vigil.
Maloney recalled the moment when rioters breached the Capitol.
"As we were certifying the votes, the rioters started coming into the chamber. You saw desks and everything being pushed up against the doors to keep people out, it was horrifying," Maloney said. "I was not terrified for my life, I was terrified for our democracy."
In the year since the attack, Maloney has been working on legislation to strengthen democracy, including giving government whistleblowers more rights.
"We all know what happened, but a question that remains is what do we do about it?" Maloney said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Comptroller Brad Lander were joined by other elected officials to rally for democracy and voting rights at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza.
"A year ago, we all watched in horror as the U.S. Capitol was under attack and an angry mob tried to overturn the results of a lawful election," James said in a tweet. "As we remember this dark day, we must commit to taking measures to ensure an assault on our democracy never happens again."
Former Congressman Max Rose also marked the anniversary with fellow military veterans at an event at Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton.
In New Jersey, demonstrators will gather at Hinds Plaza in Princeton to remember the five lives lost in the riot and in the days that followed, while calling on Congress to pass several bills ensuring voters get to decide the outcome of elections, not political parties.
"There already have been 32 laws in 19 states that have been passed in the past year either taking the vote away from some people or making it much more difficult for some people to vote, but also making it easier for partisan legislatures to oversee elections in which they can determine that if they don't like the outcome they can change it," said Laura Zurfluh of Indivisible Cranbury. "Our democracy continues to be under threat, we need to pull out all stops right now to protect it."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams did not attend any of the city events, but released a statement on the anniversary of the Capitol attack.
"One year ago today we witnessed a terror attack on our Capitol. Let's call it what it was. A violent mob tried to topple American democracy. And too many of those involved have yet to experience any real consequence for their actions," Adams said. "I’ve worn a badge to protect my city. That day still haunts me. Our system demands a shared, foundational belief that our institutions matter, whether you win or lose. Progress starts with shared values. Healing starts with accountability. We owe it to the officers we lost and who were injured that day to bring those who planned this attack to justice.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy denounced the attack calling it "an act of domestic terrorism bent on overturning a free and fair election," while again offering his condolences to the family of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, a New Jersey native, who was injured in a confrontation with rioters and later died of natural causes after suffering a stroke.
"Officer Sicknick dedicated his life to protecting the Constitution and, by extension, upholding our democracy, and we thank him for his service to our nation," Murphy said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on state buildings in honor of those who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Flags will be lowered beginning at 2:11 p.m. — the time when the Capitol was first breached — and hoisted to full-staff at 8:06 p.m. — the time the U.S. Senate reconvened.
"The cowardly attacks during the January 6th insurrection last year were more than an assault on the U.S. Capitol building, it was an assault on our democratic values," Hochul said. "We will never be intimidated - democracy will always win. I thank the brave heroes who put their lives on the line to protect public safety on January 6th, and I encourage all of us to reflect on the values with which we built this country: democracy, resiliency, and unity over division."
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