Police officers stand guard as supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis SEARCH "REUTERS PICTURES 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION" FOR THIS PACKAGE
(Washington, DC) – Prominent defendants convicted for crimes related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol are planning a march in Washington on Tuesday to mark the fifth anniversary of the riot, as House Democrats hold a separate hearing examining its legacy and ongoing political impact.
Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the far-right group Proud Boys, is among those promoting the march, which is billed as a memorial honoring Ashli Babbitt and four others who died on or after January 6. Babbitt, a supporter of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer as rioters attempted to breach the Speaker’s Lobby outside the House chamber.
Tarrio said the march will be “patriotic and peaceful” and will retrace the route taken by Trump supporters in 2021, beginning at the Ellipse near the White House and ending at the U.S. Capitol. He urged anyone intending to cause disruptions to stay home.
Tarrio was convicted of charges including seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 22 years in prison before receiving clemency from Trump on his first day back in the White House in January 2025. He was among more than 1,500 individuals convicted of January 6–related offenses who were granted pardons or commutations.
Also promoting the event is Guy Reffitt, a former member of the Texas Three Percenters militia group, who was convicted on five charges tied to the Capitol attack and sentenced to more than seven years in prison before being pardoned.
The march coincides with a House Democratic hearing marking the fifth anniversary of the riot. The hearing is being chaired by Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, who previously led the House select committee that investigated the attack.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the hearing will examine what he described as “ongoing threats to free and fair elections,” as well as concerns about election denial and public safety following the clemency granted to January 6 defendants.
Jeffries accused Republicans of attempting to “rewrite history” surrounding the riot, calling the events of January 6 “disgraceful” and warning that the country remains “indelibly scarred.”
Trump says January 6th was a “day of love,” and has defended those charged in connection with the riot. More than 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the assault on the Capitol.
Video from the day shows Babbitt attempting to climb through a broken window leading to the Speaker’s Lobby as lawmakers were being evacuated. Her family filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2024, which the Trump administration later agreed to settle for $5 million.
The U.S. Capitol Police determined the officer involved in the shooting, Lt. Michael Byrd, acted lawfully and in accordance with department policy, concluding his actions may have saved members of Congress and staff from serious harm.
Federal and local authorities have not released detailed security plans for Tuesday’s events, but officials say they are monitoring both the march and the congressional hearing closely.
