PHOENIX, Ariz.—A steel fence and barbed wire will remain at Arizona’s Capitol complex until officials decide it’s safe to remove them in the aftermath of an angry mob nearly breaching the state Senate building on June 24.
Law enforcement fired tear gas into the crowd of pro-abortion protesters who damaged the Senate building’s front entrance and wrote graffiti on historical monuments at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza.
State senators convened in the night session had to be evacuated under heavily armed guard.
On June 25, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials erected a security barrier surrounding the complex and blocked off a portion of 17th Avenue.
These security measures will remain as DPS continues monitoring the threat level following the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“The public can enter the [complex], but they have to make an appointment,” said Kim Quintero, director of communications for Arizona Senate Republicans majority staff.
“Right now, we don’t have an end time when it will [come] down—no end date,” Quintero told The Epoch Times.
However, a state Capitol source told The Epoch Times that the DPS advised that the barrier would remain “at least” another week.
The barrier consists of layers of linked steel fence, coiled razor wire, and “no trespassing” signs to keep unauthorized people out.
“It’s not the most appealing thing to look at for the time being. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing,” Quintero said.
The Arizona Department of Administration (ADA) is responsible for the security barrier, which cost $35,000 to install and $3,500 monthly in rental costs.
Megan Rose, the administration’s director of statewide communications, estimated the cost to replace broken windows and remove the graffiti at about $10,000.
Rioters wrote messages in black ink on the Frank Luke Jr. statue in front of the capitol building, one message said, “Hate women.”
“We'll keep [the barrier fence] up as long as we need to secure the capital,” said DPS spokesman Bart Graves.
Graves told The Epoch Times the barrier was the one used to secure the state Capitol complex during the 2020 election.
In the meantime, Arizona Republicans said they would review video footage of the June 24 riot to identify suspects and turn them over to law enforcement for prosecution.
“We are a state that believes in law and order,” Arizona House Majority Whip Leo Biasiucci (R) told The Epoch Times in a previous report.
Biasiucci said the state Senate would likely act if law enforcement declines to do so.
