Image of Capitol fence isn't new. High-flying flag gives it away | Fact check
The claim: Image shows fence around US Capitol in July 2024
A July 22 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of the U.S. Capitol building behind a tall, black, temporary fence.
“Breaking: Fences went up around the Capitol and the flag is flying at half staff! What is going on?” the post’s caption reads.
The post received more than 100 likes in two days. A similar post was reposted thousands of times on X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
The image is from 2021 and shows the fence placed around the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 riots.
Image in post of Capitol fence dates to 2021
The itinerary for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. included meetings with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump along with an address to Congress on July 24. In anticipation of Israel-Hamas war protests, and with the Secret Service under additional scrutiny after a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump, a fence was placed around the Capitol's entry points.
But that fence isn't the one shown in the Instagram post. The years-old image shows the barrier put in place following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
Fact check: Post misrepresents 2022 Supreme Court fence video as new
The post shows a cropped version of an image captured by Getty Images photographer Drew Angerer. It appeared with a July 7, 2021, story posted by KTVZ-TV of Bend, Oregon. The image also accompanied an Associated Press story posted later that month by PBS News.
While the fence erected ahead of Netanyahu's visit resembles the one shown in the Instagram post, one key detail in the image reveals it is not new.
Flags outside the Capitol were lowered to half-staff July 19 to honor Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat who died that day at the age of 74. The post's caption makes reference to that action, and the flags could be seen in that position the day after the Instagram post was shared. But in the image in the post, the flag is atop its staff.
The Instagram user who shared the post could not be reached for comment by Paste BN.
Our fact-check sources:
- Paul Starks, July 23, Email exchange with Paste BN
- KTVZ.com, July 7, 2021, US Capitol Police says fencing around Capitol building set to be removed as early as Friday
- PBS News, July 20, 2021, Off-duty DEA agent arrested on Capitol riot charges
- United States Senate (Internet Archive), July 23, Capitol Camera
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