Capitol Insurrection To Be Remembered With Candlelight Vigil In Morristown On Jan. 6

MORRISTOWN, NJ — More than 200 candlelight vigils, including one in Morristown, will take place across the nation to remember the anniversary of last year's U.S. Capitol insurrection.

The anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot falls on Thursday. The League of Women Voters of the Morristown Area will lead a vigil at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on the front lawn of Morristown Town Hall (200 South St.).

The organization asks people to "join us in the fight to protect the basic freedom to vote" at the "Stand Up for Democracy" event.

“We will remember law enforcement who were attacked, injured and lost their lives that day or later died by suicide,” said Mendham Township Committee Member Amalia Duarte, chair of the Elected Officials Caucus. “The promise of democracy is not a partisan issue but a calling that unites us as Americans.”

Last year, a mob of President Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress met to certify President-Elect Joe Biden's electoral victory. Five people died either before, during or shortly after the event, including one person shot by Capitol police, another from a drug overdose and three who perished from natural causes.

Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months.

Deborah McComber, vice president of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, connected the insurrection to the battle for voting rights.

“The Jan 6th insurrection marked the start of ongoing attacks on our basic freedom to vote," McComber said. "Since then, we have seen the passing of laws making it harder to vote and redistricting measures that sabotage free and fair elections. This vigil calls on all Americans to come together to protect the vote and with it our democracy.”

See more candlelight vigils to remember the insurrection here.

Thanks for reading. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter and follow the Morristown Patch Facebook page.