Biden to award Presidential Citizens Medal on second anniversary of January 6 Capitol riot

It is one of the nations highest civilian honours.According to the White House official, this will be the first time Biden has awarded the Citizens Medal.Among the awardees is Jocelyn Benson, who served as the Secretary of State of Michigan during the 2020 election and faced pressure from those seeking to overturn the election results, including armed protesters outside her home.

US President Joe Biden will present the Presidential Citizens Medal on Friday to individuals who made exemplary contributions to American democracy surrounding January 6, 2021, the White House said here on Thursday.

To mark two years since the insurrection on the Capitol, the President will host a ceremony at the White House on Friday (January 6) where he will deliver remarks and award the Presidential Citizens Medal to individuals who made exemplary contributions to our democracy surrounding January 6, 2021, a White House official said.

''These 12 heroes demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation. They include Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police, election workers, and officials at the state and local level,” said the official.

The Presidential Citizens Medal is awarded to individuals who have “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens”. It is one of the nation’s highest civilian honours.

According to the White House official, this will be the first time Biden has awarded the Citizens Medal.

Among the awardees is Jocelyn Benson, who served as the Secretary of State of Michigan during the 2020 election and faced pressure from those seeking to overturn the election results, including armed protesters outside her home. Benson received the 2022 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award.

Another awardee Rusty Bowers served as the Arizona House Speaker during the 2020 election, resisting pressure from those seeking to overturn the election results.

He received the 2022 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award.

Harry Dunn is a Capitol Police Officer who defended the Capitol on January 6, facing racial slurs and harassment from rioters. Dunn has served in the Capitol Police force for nearly fifteen years.

Caroline Edwards was the first law enforcement officer injured by rioters on January 6. Even after suffering a traumatic brain injury, officer Edwards worked to prevent rioters from entering the Capitol building. Officer Edwards has served in law enforcement for nearly six years.

Michael Fanone served as a Metropolitan Police Department Officer and defended the Capitol on January 6, suffering injuries during the attack.

After the attack, he resigned from the Metropolitan Police Department, having served for 20 years after joining in the wake of September 11.

Ruby Freeman served as an election worker in Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 election. Freeman worked to ensure that the people of Georgia could vote freely and fairly, and, for simply doing her job, was forced to withstand efforts to overturn the election that targeted and threatened her and her family.

Aquilino Gonell served as a Capitol Police Sergeant and defended the Capitol on January 6, suffering injuries during the attack. Sergeant Gonell is an emigrant from the Dominican Republic and a US Army veteran who served in Iraq.

Eugene Goodman is a Capitol Police officer who defended the Capitol on January 6. He is credited with diverting rioters from the floor of the Senate while members were still evacuating.

Officer Goodman is a US Army veteran and, from January 20, 2021, to March 2, 2021, served as Acting Deputy Sergeant at Arms of the US Senate.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)