Federal panel signals it could support permanent fencing around White House park known for protests

A historic hub for free speech and protest is under the spotlight as the Trump administration proposes adding permanent fencing around Lafayette Square.

A federal design panel reviewed the proposed renovation Thursday but ultimately didn’t hold a vote. Members, though, appeared open to the White House’s plans.

“The proposal is not to close the park, but to enclose the park,” said James C. McCrery II, vice chair on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. “It’s still open.”

The commission is an advisory panel filled with Trump appointees that reviews design projects in Washington but has no enforcement authority.

The proposal comes as President Donald Trump and the Secret Service have raised concerns about White House safety and possible vandalism. Temporary fencing already surrounds the 7-acre park.

McCrery said the Secret Service remains committed to protecting people’s First Amendment rights, but that ultimately the actions of some protesters have led the White House to seek additional security measures.

Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the commission, noted that the panel received more than 100 public comments on the proposal.

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Many comments centered on concerns that Lafayette Square has long served as a gathering place for First Amendment activities, and that it is public land rather than the president’s to close.

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Demonstrations in the square date back to 1917, when more than 500 women gathered for women’s suffrage pickets. More than a century later, the park drew demonstrators following George Floyd’s death, which prompted its temporary closing.

The proposal is the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration to reshape landmarks in Washington.

Since returning for his second term, Trump has advanced plans to build a 250-foot triumphal arch near the National Mall, overseen renovations to the Reflecting Pool and pushed to rename and redesign the Kennedy Center.

The commission also approved revised plans Thursday for a new security screening facility for White House visitors, one of the newest changes to the property following the beginning of the construction of a ballroom.