Fencing was installed around the Supreme Court in Washington overnight on May 4 as protests over a leaked opinion regarding Roe v. Wade continue.
Video footage and photographs show workers erecting the fence, which stands about eight feet high and resembles the fence the U.S. Capitol Police put up around the U.S. Capitol following the breach on Jan. 6, 2021.
The Supreme Court didn’t immediately respond to emailed questions about the new barrier, including how long it will remain in place.
The fence replaced shorter barriers that people could easily scale.
The building, which sits across First Street Southeast from the Capitol, has been closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the leaked opinion was published on May 3, protesters began gathering outside the building to voice their views on the looming decision.
The draft opinion indicated that a majority of justices were poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, a decision that concluded that access to abortion was a constitutional right.
Chief Justice John Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee, said this week that the leak will not “undermine the integrity of our operations” and that the work of the court “will not be affected in any way.”
Roberts ordered the court’s marshal to investigate the source of the leak.
A U.S. Capitol Police spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email that the agency’s “security posture is enhanced,” but declined to share details on what that means.
The reason for the cancellation was not clear.
Two other justices—Clarence Thomas and Roberts—are reportedly scheduled to speak at a different conference being held in Georgia on May 5 and May 6.
