Two years after the attack on the Capitol, Joe Biden said Friday that there was “no place for political violence” in America, particularly by decorating police officers who faced angry crowds of supporters that day. by former President Donald Trump.
Fourteen “Presidential Medals of Citizenship” awarded
While elected Republicans, who had certain ideas similar to those of the January 6, 2021 attackers, still blocked the election of a speaker of the House of Representatives, the Democratic president declared: “We must say clearly and “one voice” that there is no place (…) in America for voter fraud. None, ever, for political violence.”
“America is a country of law, not chaos,” the 80-year-old Democrat said before saluting the distinguished people, “a remarkable group of American citizens” on Friday. “History will remember your names,” said the US president, before awarding a total of fourteen “Presidential Medals of Citizenship”, one of the highest US civilian honors – including three posthumously.
Joe Biden gave it to members of law enforcement, whose faces for some have become almost familiar to Americans from seeing the dizzying images of the invaded Capitol or because of their striking testimony before a parliamentary commission of inquiry into these events.
Three police officers awarded posthumously
The president also decorated elected officials or people in charge of voting operations in several states who resisted pressure and threats to try to force them to change the outcome of the vote, won by Joe Biden. He praised the “elegance and dignity” of the families of three posthumously awarded police officers – one who was viciously attacked during the assault died of a stroke the next day, while the other two ended their days.
The former partner of the first, Brian Sicknick, filed a civil complaint Thursday against two men who pleaded guilty to the attack. But she is also suing Donald Trump, accused of launching “explicit calls for violence” which put police “in mortal danger”. She is demanding $10 million from each defendant.
