The U.S. Capitol Police reportedly suggested keeping miles of fencing around the Capitol complex up for months.
Officials with the Capitol Police recommended that the 7-foot-high, razor-wire fence should remain in place until September given security threats, the Associated Press reported on Thursday, citing a source not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
While the threats range in credibility, there have been concerns that extremist groups could return to Washington, D.C., in the coming weeks, the source said. One date in particular, March 4, has stood out among QAnon conspiracy theorists as the date that some believe former President Donald Trump will somehow be sworn back into office as president.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Capitol Police for confirmation about the reporting and for more details but did not immediately receive a response.
‘ARCHAIC SECURITY STRATEGY’: DC DELEGATE INTRODUCES BILL BANNING PERMANENT CAPITOL FENCING
The fencing sparked a debate among lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Despite acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman’s call for permanent fencing, Washington’s sole congressional delegate, Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, introduced legislation designed to prevent any plans for permanent fencing around the Capitol complex.
“Permanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens,” Norton said. “Already, the distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows.”
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Dozens of Republican lawmakers also signed a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling for the removal of the fencing and the return of thousands of National Guard troops who were dispatched to Washington after the deadly Jan. 6 riot.
