Four years after the insurrection at the US Capitol, SOC hosted “January 6th, Four Years Later,” an American Forum panel discussion moderated by SOC Associate Professor Jane Hall. The event featured two former law enforcement officers who responded to the attack: Officer Danny Hodges of the Metropolitan Police Department and former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn. Both men have been vocal about their experiences on January 6, 2021, testifying before the congressional committee investigating the attack and advocating for accountability in its aftermath. The event was co-sponsored by the Kennedy Political Union. 

The officers reflected on the physical and emotional toll the insurrection had taken on them, personally, the dangers of increasing political violence, and the role of the media in shaping public perception. Their message was clear: accountability, truth, and a commitment to democratic values remain essential in preventing future attacks on the nation’s institutions.  

More than 150 officers were injured that day, including Hodges, who was pinned in a revolving door by an insurrectionist wielding a police shield – a moment that became widely recognized in a viral video. Both Hodges and Dunn were later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Citizens Medal by former President Joe Biden in recognition of their service.  

Addressing President Donald Trump’s pardons of January 6 insurrectionists, Hodges remarked, “The die was cast for this on November 5. It was very predictable that this was going to happen, but it’s still depressing to see in real-time.” Dunn added, “The reason we testified was for accountability, so we were seeking that, and to have it ripped away – it sucked. But we had time to prepare for it. We knew it was coming.” He expressed frustration at those who were surprised by the pardons, stating, “If you’re shocked, you weren’t paying attention. We spent four years trying to get people to pay attention and to care.” 

When discussing President Trump’s influence over the Republican Party, Hodges noted, “It shows how total Trump’s control is over his party. The only people who have ever spoken out against him get completely excommunicated.” Dunn echoed this sentiment, warning of the broader implications. “They continue to normalize [political violence]. When you have, arguably, the most powerful person in the world normalizing this type of behavior, why wouldn’t somebody who believes in it say, ‘You know what, I'm going to do it too’?” 

Regarding the media’s role in shaping public narratives about January 6, Hall pointed out how the framing of the event has shifted in some circles.“Somehow you have gone from heroes, in some people’s minds, to somehow you’re the problem, which must be a fairly strange sensation for you.” Dunn responded by criticizing mainstream media’s failure to push back against misinformation, repeatedly stating that it is the media’s responsibility to counter conspiracy theories rather than dismissing them as marginal beliefs.  

Hodges reflected on the attack itself, describing the overwhelming force of the mob. “They had a very specific mission in mind, which was to ‘stop the steal,’ and they pushed forward through whatever we threw at them.” He highlighted the continued denial of the insurrection’s reality, stating, “It’s patently obvious to anyone who looks at it why they were there, who they were there for. Unfortunately, people still want to believe otherwise, because if they didn’t, they would have to come to terms with the fact that their identity is built around this group that attacked the United States Capitol and beat police officers.”