With actual intelligence supporting a threat to the capitol, I can understand putting fencing around important infrastructure in the capitol. From what I have read though, there wasn’t any actionable information floating around after the riots on the 6th. The specter of an insider threat has been brought up by some members of congress implicating Republicans. This is from LifeZette:

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spoke out on Friday to claim that she could not stay in the secure location with Republican members of Congress during the Capitol Hill riots last week because they sympathize with white supremacist cause.

When asked about an insider threat:

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said Monday that while law enforcement officials are vetting National Guard troops stationed in the nation’s capital, authorities have “no intelligence indicating an insider threat” to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration this week.

In the meantime, fencing has been erected, and metal detectors placed in the Capitol on Speaker Pelosi’s order. Some 5,000 members of the National guard have also been asked to remain in the area until the middle of March. Yesterday the Speaker sent out a “Dear Colleague” letter that included the following:

A key priority is the security and safety of the Capitol Complex, the temple of our Democracy General Russel Honoré is preparing his assessment of the security of the campus, and we expect to have updates soon.  Relatedly, when we return to session, we will pass a rule change mandating fines for Members who refuse to follow new screening protocols for the House Chamber.  It is sad that this step is necessary, but the disrespectful and dangerous refusal of some Republican Members to adhere to basic safety precautions for our Congressional Community – including our Capitol Police – is unacceptable.

If there are no real threats to the capitol, then what is going on with this big show of security? I think there has to be something going on in the background that we don’t yet see. If this is part of a plan to make this the new normal, what is the reasoning? Maybe this is part of the cover for the real lack of support that has been obvious to everyone paying attention. The claim could be made that people aren’t showing up because of the security, not because they wouldn’t show up anyway.