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Five Years Later, Capitol Officer Harry Dunn Says January 6 Was the Worst Day of His Life

January 6, 2026

Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn reflected on the five-year anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack during an appearance on "Let It Be Known," discussing how the traumatic event fundamentally changed his life and the nation. While Dunn states he has personally healed from the trauma, he emphasizes that healing does not mean forgetting, and he remains deeply troubled by ongoing developments including presidential pardons for convicted attackers and what he views as distortions of historical accountability. The officer, who has served since 2008 and witnessed the attack firsthand, now travels the country speaking about resilience and continues advocating against attempts to minimize or rewrite the events of that day.

Who is affected

  • Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn (personally traumatized by the events)
  • Capitol Police officers who died during or after the attack
  • Officers who later took their own lives
  • Those convicted for their roles in the January 6 attack (who received presidential pardons from Donald Trump)
  • Former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Harris-Walz campaign (for whom Dunn worked as a surrogate)
  • Americans concerned about democratic norms and accountability

What action is being taken

  • Dunn continues to speak across the country about resilience
  • Civil lawsuits continue against President Donald Trump
  • Dunn continues to receive hateful messages and death threats
  • Dunn takes precautions and leans on his community in response to threats

Why it matters

  • This matters because it addresses fundamental questions about democratic accountability and historical memory in America. The pardoning of those convicted for the Capitol attack, combined with the return to power of the president Dunn holds responsible, raises concerns about whether political violence will be normalized and whether accurate historical records will be preserved. Dunn's testimony serves as a firsthand account that challenges attempts to minimize or rewrite the events of January 6, and his ongoing trauma—shared by other officers—represents the human cost of political violence that he argues should not be forgotten or dismissed for political convenience.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint