A crowd gathered outside West Hartford Town Hall Thursday night to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S Capitol building.
Dozens of people braved the cold weather, bearing signs that said “truth matters” and “protect our democracy.” It was billed as a vigil, but the event was more of a call to action for those who attended, including Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
“We can stand up for democracy, we can pass the voting rights act, we can get it done by the end of this month, in the United States Senate,” he said. “But it only happens with your support and help.”
Maya Palanki, a senior at Conard High School, told the crowd that last year’s attack on the Capitol amounted to a threat to the nation’s democracy.
“Solving what you believe to be unjust with an entirely unjust action is not only unwise, but it is immoral, it is dangerous, and threatens the rule of law,” she said.
And poet Nadia Sims read a poem she wrote for the occasion.
“Tears can be mended, fabric can be patched, people can change,” she read. “For while we are not fully healed, one thing happened that day — our flag still waved.”
The event was billed as nonpartisan and was organized by IndivisibleCT, Progressive Women (ProWo), Rapid Organized Action Response (ROAR), the Universalist Church of West Hartford and others.
