Overview

• On Thursday evening, the National Park Service and U.S. Park Police barricaded Dupont Circle Park with fencing that will remain in place through Sunday night.
• The Metropolitan Police Department withdrew its April closure request on June 3 after community backlash, but federal officials moved forward with the shutdown.
• Local councilmembers Brooke Pinto and Zachary Parker and the Capital Pride Alliance criticized the decision as politically motivated and said they were not consulted.
• Federal park authorities have pointed to past incidents of vandalism and a memo warning of potential violence to justify securing the landmark.
• The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has filed Freedom of Information Act requests for Interior Department and MPD records on the closure decision.