Jan. 6 Insurrection remembered on third anniversary in NH

The national impact of the January 6 insurrection incited by Donald Trump cannot be overstated, but its local impact and history here in New Hampshire is often overlooked.

This year, several members of the state’s federal delegation shared their feelings about the day, what it meant for the country, and why it is so crucial it never be repeated.

Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), who was evacuated from House chambers during the insurrection, has spoken at length about how that day impacted her.

“Three years ago, our democracy almost failed at the hands of violent insurrectionists. On January 6th, 2021, our country witnessed an unprecedented assault on our Constitution and the peaceful transfer of power — an assault orchestrated and incited by the former president,” Kuster said in a statement ahead of the third anniversary of the attack.

“With the 2024 Presidential Election on the horizon, we must never forget how close we came to losing our sacred American democracy. We must never forget the bravery and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers who placed themselves in harm’s way to protect our freedom and our country. And we must never allow January 6th to be whitewashed by right-wing extremists who continue to push the ‘Big Lie,’” she added.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen released a statement on social media, saying what the future of democracy depends on not allowing those who led the insurrection to return to power.

“Three years ago, insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the legitimate 2020 election results.They assaulted and injured police officers. They threatened the lives of elected officials. They put our democracy in jeopardy. ‘A democracy, if you can keep it,’ said Ben Franklin. January 6, 2021, was a stark reminder of just how fragile our democracy is. It is on each and every one of us to never forget the actions that led to that day so we ensure history does not repeat itself.” Shaheen said.

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released a statement saying politicans pushing Trump’s election fraud lie which drove the insurrection must not be allowed to have their version of events of that day stand the test of time.

“Three years ago the world watched in horror and disbelief as violent insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. Their actions led to the death of five police officers and left many seriously injured. Thanks to the brave work of the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies, our democracy and our institutions held. There are politicians who continue to perpetuate the lies that sparked the insurrection and seek to deny what we all witnessed that dark day. They cannot be allowed to rewrite history, and the rule of law and the truth must prevail as we ensure this kind of assault on our democracy never happens again.” he said,

RELATED: Three years after Jan. 6, Trump’s authoritarianism is on full display

Senator Maggie Hassan published an op-ed on Fox News ahead of the anniversary, warning that in order to preserve democracy, Americans must be vigilant about rejecting the brand of politics that led to the Jan. 6 attack.

“My dad, a World War II veteran who survived the Battle of the Bulge, reminded our family often that ’democracy is the alternative to violence.’ Other political systems rely on force and intimidation to stay in power, or offer constant chaos as rival factions use violence to obtain power,” Hassan said in her op-ed.

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released a statement on putting the blame on January 6 squarely on Donald Trump.

“Today marks three years since Granite Staters watched as Donald Trump, in a blatant attempt to remain in power, encouraged a violent mob to launch an insurrection on our nation’s Capitol. Insurrectionists spurred on by Trump ransacked the halls of Congress, threatened the lives of our elected leaders, and attacked law enforcement – threatening our freedoms and bringing our democracy to the brink of ruin. Since then, Trump has only doubled down on embracing insurrectionists and election deniers, parroting fascists, and even promising to be a dictator on ‘day one.’” He said.

The NH GOP did not return a request for comment.

According to the US Department of Justice, six New Hampshire residents have been arrested so far for their participation in the insurrection, with the latest being arrested in November and now facing four federal charges, including entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

On the day of January 6, 2021 the New Hampshire House of Representatives was in session and a vote was taken on a resolution to condemn “all violence and action in Washington D.C.” on January 6, 2021. 33 Republican members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted against the resolution, effectively endorsing the violence at the Capitol.

In August, the Deputy State Director for the Trump 2024 campaign in New Hampshire was also revealed to have told police to kill themselves in an expletive-ridden video shot on January 6 near the US Capitol. He left the campaign almost a month later.

On Saturday, community members will gather from 3 to 4 p.m. in Exeter Town Hall to honor the five fallen officers and the 140 officers who were seriously injured defending the US Capitol on Jan. 6. Details and sign up information can be found here.