I’ve gotten used to seeing National Guardsmen around the Capitol area, but I always find it a bit jarring when I see big rifles like that in their hands. Yet another closure on South Capitol and D Streets SE. The Washington Monument, on the National Mall, can be seen in the distance.

*****

Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, has become a city of fences. They're ugly and everywhere, depriving residents and tourists alike of access to major streets, sidewalks, green areas, federal buildings, landmarks and of course the US Capitol, which ironically is supposed to be The People's House, except that the people are no longer allowed anywhere near it. There are plans afoot to make the barriers permanent, although there has been push-back from the District government, residents, especially those on Capitol Hill, where we live, and some lawmakers.

The idea for this gallery was suggested by Raymond in Canada http://pbase.com/monminou/profile and I thought it was a good one. Some pictures were taken when we had 25,000 National Guard troops guarding the Capitol area, while others are more recent. I hope the opportunities for fence pictures become fewer in time, but I wouldn’t bet on that.

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly
unsharp.

No loitering near the Capitol, posted earlier: