Opinion: The brutality and racism I saw on Jan. 6

Opinion by Harry Dunn

(CNN) — For 15 years, I’d had the honor of working at the US Capitol and drawing inspiration from its magnificent Rotunda — a place so beautiful it took my breath away each day.

Three years ago, in that same building that filled me with such awe, I was immersed for what felt like countless hours in a profane mix of sweat, screams, shrieks, anger, death, fear, blood, broken limbs, spit, hatred, horror, racism and bigotry.

The chaos and violence that unfolded on the grounds of the Capitol, a place I swore to protect, shook me to the core. The wounds experienced by me and my heroic fellow officers during that violent attack are still healing. But my commitment to ensuring the strength of our democracy has only deepened. It’s the reason I’ve decided to run for Congress.

Capitol Police officers and Metropolitan Police officers engaged in desperate, hand-to-hand fighting with rioters on January 6, 2021, with the Capitol under full-scale siege. Those who took part in the assault against the Capitol used all kinds of weapons against the officers defending it: Flagpoles were used as pikes. Metal bike racks that they had torn apart became bludgeons.

Some of the police officers who fought alongside me were screaming in pain from the injuries they suffered while battling the attackers. Many officers were temporarily blinded and coughing from chemical irritants being sprayed in their faces. Police officers like myself who were Black were verbally assaulted with racial epithets, in addition to the physical blows we endured.

Our scars, both physical and emotional, still run deep and serve as a constant reminder of the fragility of our democratic institutions. The racial undertones of some of the attacks were disturbing, bringing back to light a dark past that so many of us condemn and want to move away from.

As a patriotic American who has defended our Capitol for a decade and a half, I question why all Americans aren’t united in the pursuit of justice and accountability. It has been disheartening to witness the growing support for former President Donald Trump, the instigator of the violence we saw that day.

It’s appalling to me that some of the same people who took part in the attack against our democracy have declared their intention to run for office in the very institution that they defiled. For the sake of our democracy, now more than ever it is crucial that we elect leaders who revere our democratic institutions and who are willing to prioritize the well-being of our nation.

In the years since Jan. 6, Republican extremists have backtracked on their weak rebukes of the former president and some now openly question whether the insurrection even happened. They want to erase the history of that day and openly embrace conspiracy theories.

As Americans, we must demand transparency, accountability and a commitment to upholding the values that make our nation strong. It is time for lawmakers to put country before party and take a stand against any threat to our democratic principles.

I never want to return to the horrors of Jan. 6 – that, for me, is the urgency of the upcoming election. We must learn from the past, acknowledge our vulnerabilities and actively work to strengthen our democratic foundations. My experience on that dark day has fueled my determination to enact meaningful change to ensure that such an attack never happens again.

I’ve made it my personal mission to share my story, speak truth to power and work to ensure this never happens again. That’s why a few weeks ago, I retired from the police force, and that’s why I announced my campaign to run for Congress in Maryland’s Third Congressional District.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of meeting thousands of elected officials, congressional staff and employees and visitors from all over the world to our nation’s Capitol.

Every day, I was reminded of the United States’ place in the world as a guardian of democracy. I’m committed to holding accountable those who threaten our democratic values and ensuring that the events of Jan. 6 are only a dark chapter in our nation’s history.

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