MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul released the following statement marking the one-year anniversary of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

“Today we honor the heroic officers who lost their lives or were injured as a result of the insurrection that took place one year ago. We must never forget the sacrifice of those officers. And the individuals responsible for that attack must face justice.

“We also must rededicate ourselves to standing up for our democracy and the freedoms it protects.

“In light of the shameful attempts to rewrite the history of January 6 of last year, it’s important to be clear about what actually took place: The insurrection was a violent attack on members of the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Capitol, and our democracy. Incited by the then-sitting President of the United States, a mob attempted to use force to block congressional certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“While that disgraceful effort failed, the Big Lie that fueled it has not gone away. But it must. Because until it does, the health of our democracy will remain at risk from cynical, power-hungry actors who would use it as a pretext for taking for themselves or their allies the power that belongs to the voters.

“We must ensure that the insurrection is seen by future generations not as a precursor to further attacks on our democracy, but as a turning point that ultimately led us to do more to safeguard it.”