After the second act of violence was recorded in the US Capitol complex earlier this week, which led to the demise of a US Capitol Police officer and leaving another severely injured, Washington DC’s authorities called for finding a solution on the intersection of mitigating security threats in the state capital and not restricting public mobility as a brief lockdown was imposed in the surrounding areas. 

A 25-year-old man, who was later identified as Noah Green, was shot dead by law enforcement officials after crashing his car into a barricading, where officer William “Billy” Evans was stationed. The fatal attack was carried out less than three months after a violent mob tried to overtake the US Capitol. 

The incident has sparked debate over whether fencing around the 59-acre complex, much of which was dismantled two months after the January 6 attack, should have been kept in place, reported AFP.

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Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, the head of the Republicans’ Senate policy team, warned against ring-fencing the complex of around 20 buildings from the public.

“I think it would be a mistake for fencing to be a permanent part of the Capitol,” he told ABC’s “This Week,” noting that barriers had been “right there when the car drove through.”

Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who led a security review after the January 6 attack, said lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had affirmed that safety was their top priority — while making sure the building is “100%” accessible.

“This is something that is valued by every member of Congress we spoke to in the six weeks we were there, and that they want public access,” he told ABC.

“That comes… with a balance, with reengineering, with resources needed to the Capitol Police, with upgrading our cameras and sensors and the barriers around the Capitol.”

Blunt has co-sponsored a bill alongside Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen to prevent funding for permanent fencing around the Capitol.

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“The Architect of the Capitol, along with the Capitol Police Board, we’ve given them recommendations,” Honore added.

“The Corps of Engineers is standing by to reinforce the outer grounds of the Capitol with contractors coming in to put advanced fencing that can come out of the ground as required, that can provide more sensors as well as an integration of the cameras”, reported AFP.

He moved on to demand a security plan similar to the post- 9/11 time, where more than 200 troops of the National Guard were stationed to provide enhanced security to the governing epicentre of the United States. 

“We’ve given them the plan,” he said. “We worked the plan hard. Now it’s time for Congress to work the plan.”