Volunteers, Smithsonian want to save White House protest art

WASHINGTON (AP) — Almost as soon as the towering black fencing was erected last week to seal off Lafayette Park, the barrier became an art gallery and a sounding board for the demonstrators protesting years of black deaths at the hands of police officers. Now, with much of the temporary fencing around the White House coming down, there's an effort to preserve hundreds of pieces of instant American history.

Both the Washington, D.C., government and several museums in the Smithsonian network have expressed an interest, but for now volunteers on the scene are working to gather up the items and keep them safe.

“We're trying to be as gentle as we can with everything,” said Natalie Casey-Sanger, a D.C. resident. “I've heard some people express hopes for long-term plans but nothing concrete.”

Casey-Sanger said volunteers started removing almost everything from the fence late Tuesday night out of concern that it would suddenly be taken down early Wednesday morning. The National Park Service originally told The Associated Press that most of the fence would be dismantled Wednesday, but it later reversed course.

In a statement Wednesday night, the Park Service said the Secret Service was “continuing to remove the temporary fencing around Lafayette Park, and the public will have access to Lafayette Park beginning on June 11.” Some fencing will remain around damaged areas while the Park Service makes repairs. On the other, southern side of the White House, parts of the temporary fencing were also being dismantled.

Hundreds of the signs and posters that hung on the fence sealing off the park to the north of the White House have now been moved across the street and taped to the walls of a construction site, or strung together and hung from trees lining the street. At volunteer medical tents on Wednesday, the call...