U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday dodged questions about when the fencing surrounding the Capitol Hill complex will be removed.
During a town hall hosted by the city’s shadow representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton, leaders of the Capitol Police and Metro Police Departments fielded community questions about the future of the city’s security.
When it comes to the fence blocking most of Capitol Hill, there is no end in sight, said Chad Thomas, assistant chief for the Capitol Police.
“I do not believe we can provide a date,” he said after multiple people asked when the Hill security will regain a sense of normalcy.
Thomas explained that the Capitol Police is conducting an investigation right now that would be impeded if the complex were to reopen to the public. This review, he said, required interviewing everyone on the force and trawling through hours of security footage of the incident that prompted House Democrats to impeach former President Donald Trump for a second time.
“I’m afraid I can’t provide a timeline, other than to say that what is in place now is a temporary measure that we put in place as an emergency, and obviously, we have an intention to provide a detailed recommendation when we’re able to,” Thomas said.
Thomas’s statements drew sharp criticism from several people at the meeting, including Norton and Washington, D.C., city Councilman Charles Allen, whose district encompasses Capitol Hill. Allen said that throughout the Capitol Police’s response to the Jan. 6 riot, many of his constituents have felt that their needs and the city’s needs have been “disrespected.”
Allen added that the Capitol Police’s perceived lack of transparency has not improved matters.
“Things that are temporary sure seem to turn permanent pretty fast,” he said, in reference to other security measures in Washington that have lingered for a long time.
Norton, who this week introduced a bill to ban permanent fencing around the Capitol, said that Capitol Police should at least consider removing the barbed wire on top on the nonscalable fence once Trump’s impeachment trial winds down.
“It could be the beginning of normalcy,” she said.
Many members of Congress last month voiced opposition to the fence, after acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman recommended permanent fencing on the grounds.
“This is the People’s House. I am adamantly opposed,” tweeted New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also said she opposed the proposal, tweeting that the fence should come down “when the time is right.”
