• The official January 6 memorial plaque honoring law enforcement is currently missing from the Capitol.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to unveil the plaque amid a legal challenge from police officers.
• In response, over 100 Democratic lawmakers have created makeshift replicas of the plaque to honor the officers.
• At least five individuals died during the January 6 riots, with ongoing debates over the event's legacy.
• The DOJ is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit advocating for the plaque's display, arguing Congress has already recognized the officers.

As the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack approaches, the official plaque honoring law enforcement officers who defended democracy that day is reportedly missing from public display. Although the plaque is required by law to be present at the Capitol, its current whereabouts remain unknown, and it is believed to be in storage. House Speaker Mike Johnson has not formally unveiled the plaque, and the Trump administration's Department of Justice is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by officers demanding its installation, according to SCMP and Los Angeles Times.

In an effort to commemorate the day, about 100 congress members, predominantly Democrats, have taken the initiative to mount poster board replicas of the January 6 plaque outside their offices. These makeshift memorials aim to ensure the individuals' heroism is not forgotten. The faux plaques read, "On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on Jan. 6, 2021," according to Los Angeles Times and NPR.

The absence of the plaque poses a significant gap in the narrative surrounding January 6, which saw a violent insurrection led by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who sought to overturn the election results. The missing tribute raises concerns about a "culture of forgetting," as visitors to the Capitol may not have a formal reminder of the day's significance, according to Los Angeles Times and NPR.

As part of efforts to memorialize the day, legislation was passed in March 2022 approving the plaque, which was to be installed to honor officers who responded to the violence. The law mandated a list of officers' names and set a one-year deadline for installation at the Capitol. However, that deadline has passed, leading to lawsuits from two officers, Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, who argue that Congress's inaction is an affront to their service. The Justice Department's motion to dismiss the lawsuit states that the approval of the plaque was itself a form of recognition, according to SCMP, Los Angeles Times, and NPR.

In the wake of this controversy, the focus on the January 6 event has shifted significantly. While some lawmakers, like Representative Jamie Raskin, emphasize the need for future generations to understand the critical moment in U.S. history, the current political landscape is fraught with division. The upcoming hearings led by House Democrats seek to examine ongoing threats to elections, with little expectation of bipartisan participation, reflecting the polarized environment surrounding the events of January 6, according to Los Angeles Times and NPR.