Fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack brings fresh division to the Capitol

With the White House in the background, President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. The January 6 committee investigation of the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and the events leading up to the capitol insurrection raise questions about former President Donald Trump's role and whether he committed crimes. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Five years ago outside the White House, outgoing President Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters to head to the Capitol — “and I’ll be there with you” — in protest as Congress was affirming the 2020 election victory for Democrat Joe Biden.

A short time later, the world watched as the seat of U.S. power descended into chaos, and democracy hung in the balance.

On the fifth anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, there is no official event to memorialize what happened that day, when the mob made its way down Pennsylvania Avenue, battled police at the Capitol barricades and stormed inside, as lawmakers fled. The political parties refuse to agree to a shared history of the events, which were broadcast around the globe. And the official plaque honoring the police who defended the Capitol has never been hung.