SECURITY ‘RING OF STEEL’ AROUND DC AS US CAPITOL BUILDS PERIMETER FENCE TO PROTECT FROM PROTESTERS AND VANDALS
For the first time in decades, a physical barrier is being erected around the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. to protect the complex from potential threats and violence from external forces.
The 7-foot-high fence will stretch for approximately 1,640 feet along the north and west sides of the Capitol Building, as well as the east and west sides of the Capitol Grounds, effectively creating a “ring of steel” to secure the area from potential threats.
According to officials, the fence will be made of steel and barbed wire and will be topped with razor wire, with cameras and sensors installed to monitor the perimeter. The fence is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The move comes in response to concerns about potential violence and destruction threatened by certain groups, including white supremacist and anti-government extremist groups, who have demonstrated their ability to cause chaos and destruction during recent protests and demonstrations.
While some critics have questioned the need for such a barrier, citing issues of aesthetics and imposing a sense of “partition” between the public and the government, officials insist that the fence is necessary to protect the integrity of the United States’ capital.
“This is a historic and unprecedented step to ensure the safety and security of the Capitol and its vicinity,” said one official. “We will not compromise the security of the United States’ capital, and the ‘ring of steel’ will be a vital component of our efforts to keep America’s seat of government safe and secure.”
The fence is being built in response to the growing threat of civil unrest and extremism, which has seen numerous incidents of violence, property damage, and arrests during recent protests and demonstrations in the nation’s capital.
