VietJoy

People gather to view protest signs now affixed to the fence around Lafayette Square at the scene where protesters clashed with police, near the White House in Washington, June 8, 2020.

The National Park Service says it will remove much of the tall metal fencing surrounding Lafayette Square across from the White House by Wednesday. 

Officials erected the fence early last week to bar access to the park shortly after police aggressively cleared a crowd of largely peaceful demonstrators from the area of the square using chemical irritants and rubber bullets. 

In the days since, crowds have continued to gather outside the park daily to protest. The demonstrators have converted the fencing to a crowdsourced memorial wall, filled with posters, names and paintings of black men and women who died during encounters with police. 

A National Park Service spokeswoman did not immediately respond Tuesday to a question from The Washington Post about what would happen to the artwork when the fence comes down. She said some fencing will remain in areas that suffered damage during demonstrations or where safety hazards exist. 

Officials have also lined the entirety of the Ellipse — the sweeping green lawn south of the White House — with more than 1.5 kilometers of fencing, reinforced by white concrete barriers. The Park Service says they plan to remove that fencing by Wednesday as well.