The policy proposals resembled a voting rights-focused agenda championed by an array of faith leaders — especially Black clergy — throughout 2021. To wit, the vigil, like the Declaration for American Democracy coalition, boasted several liberal-leaning faith groups among its sponsors, such as Faith in Public Life and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Milling about the crowd with a “Franciscans for Justice” sign was Michele Dunne, head of the Franciscan Action Network.
“As Franciscans, we believe in the equality of all people, and that means equal access to political power and political decision-making,” she said. “Therefore, we think it’s important to preserve democracy in the United States.”
People attend a candlelight vigil on the National Mall on Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, on the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. RNS photo by Jack Jenkins
Other speakers included Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland lawmaker who sits on the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack, as well as Harper White, a congressional staffer who recounted his harrowing experiences during the attack.
About midway through the event, organizers observed a moment of silence for those who died on Jan. 6, those present at the attacks who committed suicide shortly after, police officers and others who were wounded during the insurrection as well as those who were “outraged and more committed to standing up for their democracy.” As hundreds held candles aloft, a singer from Baltimore sang “Amazing Grace.”
As the liberal event began to disperse, a very different vigil began less than three miles away outside a Washington jail. A small band of activists, who were visibly outnumbered by reporters and police, gathered to express support for the people held in the jail on charges stemming from the insurrection.
Attendees identified as part of the “Justice for J6” movement, which argues people charged in the insurrection are being treated unfairly. Vigil attendees were dismissive of the attack itself, repeatedly downplaying its severity. One referred to it as a “ghost of an insurrection.”
The group sang a mixture of patriotic songs and hymns throughout the vigil, ranging from “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” to “God Bless America” to “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”
Among the crowd was Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by police while participating in the Capitol attack last year. Attendees held photos of Babbitt, who has been cast as a martyr by some conservatives.
