Removal of US Capitol fencing begins six months after riot

WASHINGTON: More than six months after the deadly US Capitol insurrection, authorities on Saturday began the process of dismantling fencing and barricades surrounding the iconic Washington building, although some access restrictions will remain in place.

Personnel were seen removing bars connecting sections of the eight-foot black metal fencing that had been erected in the days following the violent unrest at the citadel of American democracy.

Removal of the fence itself was to begin early on Saturday, workers on the site said, with the deconstruction operation expected to last through the weekend.

Thousands of National Guard troops were stationed there following the attack, and a wide security boundary complete with razor wire turned the Capitol into a fortress for months.

An outer perimeter was dismantled in March, but the fencing, Capitol Hill traffic detours and a ban on visitors has irritated lawmakers from both parties.