Kathrine Frich
The plan faces fierce pushback from local groups and lawmakers.
Protecting a nation’s leader is an endless balancing act between safety and public freedom.
When serious threats emerge, the line between an open park and a fortified zone quickly begins to blur.
A major new security shift is currently underway at the heart of the American capital.
Locking down history
The Trump administration wants to erect a permanent fence around Lafayette Square, according to Express. The new security blueprint also features extra barriers placed right outside the White House.
On Friday, a joint committee unveiled the sweeping safety proposal. The Secret Service and the Interior Department teamed up with the White House on the new defense measures.
Their plan introduces a massive eight to nine foot tall iron fence. This permanent structure would replace the temporary barriers that currently stand outside the historic park.
If approved, workers could start building the new barrier system as early as next year. The symbolic space sits directly opposite the executive mansion, drawing thousands of tourists and protesters.
Fearing its citizens
A proposal excerpt on the Commission of Fine Arts’ website states that the “objective is to enhance long-term safety, preserve the park’s identity as a significant [National Park Service] landscape, and maintain public access to this nationally symbolic space.”
However, the defensive plan faces fierce pushback from local groups and lawmakers. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s non-voting congressional representative, announced plans to fight the build.
She will introduce legislation to block the extra barriers around the park and Pennsylvania Avenue. She argues that shutting out the public sets a dark precedent for a free nation.
“More fencing around the president’s Park would send the wrong message to the nation and the world by continuing to transform our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens,” Norton said.
Shielding the president
The sudden security upgrade follows a series of terrifying close calls for the American leader. In April, the president narrowly escaped harm during a dangerous incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
It was the third assassination attempt in less than two years. Recently, fresh intelligence from Israel warned of an active Iranian plot against his life.
The new blueprint also allows officials to completely seal the gates and block pedestrians if a new threat emerges. According to The Washington Post, authorities can restrict access instantly if danger looms.
The plan even calls for resurfacing the square. Officials worry that protesters can easily pull up the current paving stones and throw them as weapons during civil unrest.
Sources: Express, The Washington Post, Commission of Fine Arts
