Jan. 6—BEMIDJI — Braving the snow Saturday afternoon and holding signs reading “Jan. 6 never again,” Sherry Kloha and other members of Indivisible Bemidji want to remind the community of the importance of defending and supporting the values of a democracy.

Their demonstration took place on the third anniversary of the civil unrest on Jan. 6, 2021, which saw supporters of former president Donald Trump enter the U.S. Capitol and disrupt the counting of electoral votes meant to certify the 2020 presidential election.

For Kloha and other members of the group, this event cannot be set aside as simply another piece of history.

“We think it’s important not to forget January 6 as an attack on our democracy,” Kloha said. “We want to remind people that our democracy is fragile, and it’s up to all of us to make sure our democracy can withstand that kind of assault.”

That’s why she and more than 20 others from Indivisible Bemidji stood along the sidewalk facing Paul Bunyan Drive on Saturday near Paul Bunyan Park, waving American flags with each person holding a letter spelling out their message — that something like the January 6 attack on the Capitol can never happen again.

“It’s important to all of us that we work to support democratic institutions like free and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power,” Kloha noted.

She expressed that the demonstration is also a stand against those who have downplayed the events of January 6 by calling it a peaceful protest.

“(When I saw the news in 2021) I was dumbstruck. People were breaking windows, putting a noose up to hang Mike Pence and assaulting police officers,” Kloha recalled. “I couldn’t believe it.”

The events at the Capitol led to property damage, injuries and several deaths. These deaths include some directly connected to the violence and later suicides of police officers who responded to the crisis.

“There’s still people who are downplaying (the events of January 6),” Kloha said. “That’s why it’s important to work against conspiracy and the framing of these people as patriots. They’re not, they were led down a path of lies and misinformation.”

She also called out those who she believes have downplayed the events from positions of power, including Representative Pete Stauber of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District.

“This is an opportunity to call out Stauber for continuing to support a president that incited an insurrection,” she said.

Kloha mentioned specifically her disappointment in Stauber when he

supported a lawsuit by Texas’ attorney general

that attempted to overturn the 2020 election, though the lawsuit was later thrown out.

How January 6 has been discussed in the public consciousness, and frequently disregarded, has Kloha worried about the upcoming 2024 elections.

“We’re in an election cycle now, and I hope it doesn’t result in this same type of response. I hope we can have a peaceful transfer of power,” she said. “I think a lot of us are worried. That’s why we need to work so hard to protect democracy, we can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and do nothing.”