CINCINNATI — Dozens surrounded the steps of Cincinnati City Hall in silence as the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Color Guard held the U.S. Flag high, honoring the lives lost after the Jan. 6 attacks, and the law enforcement efforts to keep democracy alive.
It was one of many vigils across Ohio a year after the Capitol riots, a sign of the lasting impact of the divisive day’s events and to those in Cincinnati, proof more must be done to restore trust in our voting system.
What You Need To Know
- Cincinnati had a vigil in memory of the Jan. 6 riots
- The service honored law enforcement officers and called for justice after the attacks
- City leaders also called for efforts to restore trust in the nation’s voting systems
- Dozens attended the event
The event began with prayers from three different faith leaders calling for national healing. Then speakers came to the podium to recall the events of Jan. 6 from their perspective.
Chot Van Ausdall said he came to the vigil because he never wants to forget the shock and powerlessness he felt, watching the riots unfold. He said he’s been horrified by the violence and lack of accountability ever since.
“People throwing flagpoles at policemen, people throwing fire extinguishers, using bear spray on police,” he said. “Then they say, ‘Well that couldn’t be our people because we respect the police.’ Well, it didn’t show that day at all.”
Hundreds of miles from Washington, D.C., Jan-Michele Kearney, a Cincinnati City Council member, recalled learning of the attacks while in a council session.
“All of our phones started blowing up,” she said.
Kearney described the anxiety felt as the council members watched the updates come in through their phones, then later through television. At the end of the day though, she said the most important event happened when Congress returned to Capitol and certified the 2020 election.
“On that day democracy was challenged, but democracy won,” Kearney said.
Still, she believes that wasn’t the end of the challenges. Kearney said democracy is challenged every time fair voting systems are challenged, referring directly to Ohio’s latest congressional maps, currently facing challenges in the Ohio Supreme Court.
“Democracy is challenged every day,” she said. “Democracy is challenged when we have these crazily-drawn gerrymandered districts to keep voting from being fair, to keep our elections from being fair.”
Van Ausdall believes, however, that the fight won’t end until the people involved in the Jan. 6 attacks are brought to justice, and the country accepts the truth of what happened.
“Including politicians,” he said. “You know, I have some faith, but not a lot of faith that’s totally going to happen.”
As the vigil closed with a moment of silence for the officers killed or injured followed the riots, Van Ausdall said he kept hope alive for more peaceful days ahead and a democracy he can believe in.
“Hopefully this never happens again,” he said. “That’s not the kind of country I want to live in.”