The mother of Ashli Babbitt, the woman fatally shot during the Jan. 6 riot, stood on the Capitol steps Thursday and claimed her daughter was exercising a legitimate right to protest when she was killed by a US Capitol police officer one year ago.

“My daughter was an amazing, energetic, independent, powerful woman. I miss her every day,” Micki Witthoeft said through tears as members of Congress gathered inside to remember the first anniversary of the attacks.

“I’m here because Americans do have the right to protest, it’s your right as an American citizen to protest,” she continued.

Babbitt, a 36-year-old Air Force veteran, was shot by US Capitol Police officer Lt. Michael Byrd as she tried to crawl through a broken window to enter the Speaker’s Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021 as a mob of Trump supporters were storming the Capitol in an effort to disrupt the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“My daughter was a proud American patriot,” Witthoeft said. “She served this country her whole adult life. She loved God, America and loved her family.”

Witthoeft then claimed her daughter was “murdered by a careless, reckless” Capitol Police officer.

“She came to DC to hear Donald Trump speak about a stolen election, and little did we know that would be the last time she heard anybody speak,” the grieving mom said.