U.S. Capitol Police want fence around Capitol Hill to remain until September, report

U.S. Capitol Police officials are telling Washington lawmakers the recently installed security fencing should stay up until at least September, citing continuing security concerns, according to a news report Friday.

The plan is being reported by CNN, based on information from a source familiar with the matter.

The fencing was installed after the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol and before the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Biden.

The roughly 7-foot-high, chain-linked fence, topped with razor wire, was supposed to be removed in March. But its future, like many matters in Washington, is caught in political crosswinds.

"While there is no specific, credible threat to the homeland at this time, DHS continues to gather, review, and analyze new intelligence each day and regularly updates its federal, state, local, tribal, and non-governmental partners on the results of those efforts," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNN. "The most significant terrorism-related threat currently facing the nation comes from lone offenders and small groups of individuals inspired by domestic extremist ideological beliefs, including those based on false narratives spread over social media and other online platforms."

The Capitol Police Board is purportedly reviewing the request for the extension.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, is in charge of the Capitol building and what security remains. But she has yet to say whether she supports permanent fencing or why the safety measures continue to be a necessity. The D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said she will not accept permanent fencing and will not continue to use extra troops. Some Republicans have called for the removal of the fence absent a verifiable security threat.