U.S. Capitol Police will place a fence around the Capitol building ahead of a possible demonstration that could aim to disrupt Tuesday’s State of the Union address, the agency said in a statement Sunday.
Why it matters: The Capitol has had several major security incidents recently, including the Jan. 6 riot in 2021, and officials are now on high alert in the face of potential threats,
- The Department of Homeland Security warned in a bulletin earlier this month that truckers protesting vaccine mandates could make their way from California to Washington, D.C., for the speech.
The latest: “Out of an abundance of caution, and in conjunction with the United States Secret Service, a plan has been approved to put up the perimeter fence around the Capitol Building for the State of the Union Address,” the statement from U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger says.
- “I have also requested support from outside law agencies and the National Guard to assist with our security precautions.”
Flashback: The same fence was installed around the inner perimeter of the Capitol in the aftermath of Jan. 6, and was reused ahead of a rally last September protesting the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants.