New Lawsuit by January 6 Police Demands that Congress Install Legally Required Memorial
Bipartisan 2022 law requires that the Architect of the Capitol install a January 6 memorial; suit by officers argues it’s essential to stop the re-writing of the history of that day.
WASHINGTON – Thursday, June 12, 2025 – Today members of the United States Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department who defended the Capitol on January 6 filed a new lawsuit to compel the Architect of the Capitol to install a Congressionally mandated memorial honoring their service. The suit alleges Congress’s refusal to install the memorial—which is required under a 2022 law that passed with bipartisan support—denigrates the service of those who defended democracy on that day, and reflects Republicans’ re-writing of the history of January 6.
The plaintiffs in this case are former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges. The defendant is the office of the Architect of the Capitol, which is currently in violation of the March 2023 deadline to install the memorial, as required by federal law. In their filing, the plaintiffs argue that the memorial is required “to honor the women and men who saved the lives of those inside the building, and to ensure that the history of this attack on the Capitol—and on democracy—is not forgotten.”
WATCH: Live stream featuring Rep. Jamie Raskin, Harry Dunn, and Daniel Hodges.
Initially critical of the rioters’ actions on that day, national Republican leaders have since downplayed the violence of January 6, expressed support for the rioters, and spread baseless conspiracy theories about who was responsible for the attack. By refusing to comply with the law, the Architect of the Capitol is denying these police officers’ heroic sacrifices on that day, and instead siding with the lawbreakers who came close to halting the peaceful transfer of power.
The suit points out that other, similar monuments have been installed at the Capitol honoring the service of first responders and others. And it notes the irony of the Architect’s refusal to follow the law, given that the plaintiffs—along with other officers who were present that day—were the ones who “prevent[ed] most rioters from entering the building, and stopp[ed] those who did from capturing or killing the elected officials, staff, and journalists inside.” It demands that Congress “follow its own law and install the mandated memorial” without further delay.
“January 6 was a black mark on our history, and stands as the moment when we as Americans came closest to losing our democracy at the hands of a violent mob,” said Brendan Ballou, lead attorney in the case. “These plaintiffs, and the officers they stood beside, were literally the only thing that saved the democratic transfer of power that day, and democracy itself. And they saved countless lives of people inside the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol must follow the law, and must honor these officers, to prevent history from being rewritten.”
“The Constitution, the rule of law, and the peaceful transfer of power are the foundations of our republic,” said Gregg Nunziata, executive director of the Society for the Rule of Law Institute, an organization dedicated to the defense of the rule of law from a traditionally conservative perspective, which is providing critical communications support for the suit. “These officers’ conduct on January 6 was the living embodiment of these principles. They deserve to be honored, and the law requires that they be recognized for their sacrifices. The Architect should follow the law.”
To be connected with spokespeople to discuss this suit or related matters, please contact [email protected].
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