Capitol fencing starts coming down after ‘Justice for J6’ rally

Fencing around the Capitol installed ahead of the “Justice for J6” rally on Saturday started coming down on Sunday afternoon, according to footage shared by several reporters on Twitter.

“And just as fast as it went up, the fence erected around the Capitol for the ‘Justice for J6’ rally is now coming back down,” tweeted Associated Press reporter Mike Balsamo along with a video of construction workers hauling away sections of fence. 

And just as fast as it went up, the fence erected around the Capitol for the “Justice for J6” rally is now coming back down. pic.twitter.com/dVq9yvKzia

— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) September 19, 2021

NBC News producer Frank Thorp posted a video showing several men in neon gear dismantling the fencing using power tools. 

“And just like that, workers are already starting to take down the fencing around the US Capitol after yesterday’s so-called ‘Justice for J6’ rally,” Thorp tweeted.

And just like that, workers are already starting to take down the fencing around the US Capitol after yesterday’s so-called ‘Justice for J6’ rally —> pic.twitter.com/JXxVUA6OH4

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 19, 2021

Capitol Police, citing safety reasons, told The Hill via email that no further information on the fence would be provided.

The fencing was installed around the Capitol last week ahead of Saturday’s rally to protest the criminal charges and treatment of individuals charged in connection with storming the Capitol earlier this year.

The relatively small crowd of protesters Saturday was dwarfed by the outsize presence of the news media and police forces on hand to monitor the event.

A mob of pro-Trump supporters ransacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, seeking to disrupt Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential win. Lawmakers and former Vice President Mike Pence were forced to seek cover as supporters of the former President Trump entered lawmakers’ offices and other areas of the building. 

Following the Jan. 6 riot, fencing was installed around the Capitol, and was not removed until July, despite appeals from lawmakers who asked for the fencing to come down sooner.

It is unclear how long it will take for the entire fencing to be removed again.

Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger told reporters ahead of the fencing’s installation last week that the fencing was not expected to last long if Saturday went well.

“The fence will go up a day or two before, and if everything goes well it will come down very soon after,” Manger said.

–Updated on Sept. 20 at 3:10 p.m.