Five years after a violent mob stormed the US Capitol, a group of demonstrators including convicted defendants retraced the rioters' steps in a deeply divisive march through Washington, DC.
March from White House to Capitol
On Tuesday 6 January 2026, more than 100 people gathered for a midday procession organised by former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. The march began at the White House and proceeded to the Capitol building, deliberately following the route taken by rioters half a decade earlier.
Tarrio stated the event was intended to honour Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed during the original siege, and others who died during or after the attack. Babbitt's mother was among those present, according to reports from The Associated Press.
Controversial Leader and Confrontations
The march was led by Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the militant Proud Boys group. Tarrio had previously received a 22-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 attack. However, his conviction was among more than 1,500 charges dropped last year when former President Donald Trump issued a sweeping pardon upon returning to the White House.
During Tuesday's event, Tarrio used the platform to call for the prosecutors who pursued cases against the rioters to be "fired and prosecuted". The march was not without opposition; counter-protesters confronted the group on its way to the Capitol, singing the US National Anthem in a pointed display of dissent.
A Nation Still Divided
The fifth anniversary of the Capitol riot has served to highlight the persistent and profound political fractures within the United States. The decision by some defendants to publicly retrace their steps, coupled with the controversial pardons, underscores the ongoing debate over accountability, justice, and the legacy of January 6.
This commemorative march, occurring in the heart of the nation's capital, acted as a stark reminder that the events of 2021 continue to resonate powerfully, shaping the country's political landscape half a decade later.
