Pelosi wants to award Capitol Police officers Congressional Gold Medal: 'They are martyrs for democracy'

A day after Democrats presented chilling new video footage of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol at former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that she will introduce a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal — Congress's highest civilian honor — to Capitol Police officers who protected lawmakers during the deadly siege.

At her weekly press briefing on Capitol Hill, Pelosi said the videos introduced Wednesday at Trump’s trial showed “the extraordinary valor of the Capitol Police, who risked and gave their lives to save our Capitol, our democracy, our lives.”

“They are martyrs for democracy,” she said.

The footage, much of which was taken from security cameras inside the Capitol building, showed the violent mob of Trump supporters breaching the building and overwhelming Capitol Police officers, who were beaten and attacked while trying to evacuate members of Congress.

Pelosi lauded Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who was seen in the new footage diverting the rioters from entering the Senate chamber and alerting Sen. Mitt Romney, who was inadvertently walking toward them.

In other videos played at the trial, the rioters were seen roaming the hallways of Congress searching for Pelosi’s office, calling out, “Oh, Naaaaaaancy!”

In a letter, Pelosi urged other members of Congress to sign on to her resolution that would grant the officers who fought back the mob on Jan. 6 the Congressional Gold Medal.

“That day, those men and women risked and gave their lives to save ours,” she wrote. “The outstanding heroism and patriotism of our heroes demand our deepest appreciation.”

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• Democratic impeachment manager lavishes praise on Mike Pence for standing up to Trump

• White House takes a hands off approach on efforts to investigate the Capitol attack