Temporary fencing went up outside the Supreme Court Wednesday night. It’s a similar design to the tall fencing that went up around the Capitol after January 6—and around the White House complex in the summer of 2020. The fencing is designed to prevent people from scaling it: As one fence vendor explains, the tight mesh “puts tremendous pressure on the ends of your fingers when you try to lift your body.”
Demonstrators have gathered outside the court since Politico reported Monday that it was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Both pro-choice and pro-life protesters have shown up.
The US Capitol Police closed several streets around the court building to vehicular traffic on Tuesday. The Capitol Police did not install this fencing, though: A spokesperson directed Washingtonian to the Supreme Court’s police force, which has not yet responded to a request for comment about why the fencing was installed or how long it might remain in place.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
