'A Horrific Moment' – Bay Area Rep. Barbara Lee Recalls January 6 Attack On Capitol 1 Year Later

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – The trauma remains fresh in the mind of East Bay Congresswoman Barbara Lee a year after the deadly January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol which left five people dead, dozens more injured and a nation shaken.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke Thursday morning of the terror and infamy of the day. More than 725 people have been charged in the case and the FBI is still searching for 250 more suspects believed to have been involved in the violence.

President Joe Biden comments on January 6 Attack On Capitol

Lee was among the lawmakers who huddled in fear in a secure location deep inside the Capitol while the rioters stormed and ransacked the building.

"That was a horrific moment, it was extremely traumatic," said Lee, a Democrat from Oakland.

The congresswoman was at the Capitol during Congress' certification of Biden's victory in the 2020 election when the angry and violent mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters began to breach security.

Lee said she had prepared for pro-Trump protests that day by wearing tennis shoes, but she didn't expect the deadly attack to ensue.

"Those who perpetrated, planned and executed this attempted coup need to be brought to justice," Lee said. "No one is above the law."

Among those injured was former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who was pulled from the police line into a throng of protesters.

He suffered a traumatic brain injury and lives with PTSD from being beaten by the crowd.

Fanone and another sergeant who was injured in the attack were invited by Congresswoman Jackie Speier to speak during a virtual town hall on the eve of the insurrection's anniversary.

"I had suffered a heart attack," Fanone said. "There were individuals in the crowd that were chanting, 'Take his gun, kill him with his gun.'"

On Thursday, hundreds of rallies and vigils were expected across the country to call for those involved in the mob to be held accountable.

Ogi Strogatz, who is part of the leadership team of the Indivisible ReSisters of Walnut Creek, will take part in one of the nation's rallies; many of them held in California.

Strogatz said people will gather to honor those who died and suffered from injuries that day.

"This is a do or die moment in terms of passing the voting rights bills that are before the Senate," said Strogatz. "I realized how precious democracy is, and that if you want it you've got to fight for it."