cross-posted from: https://exploding-heads.com/post/45200

Under ordinary circumstances, these “grounds” are open to the public, not “restricted.” But because law enforcement erected some police barriers and fencing there on January 6—barriers that were all but removed before most of the attendees even arrived at the Capitol—thousands of Trump supporters unknowingly crossed an imaginary Maginot Line.

To give you an idea how large of space this is — Here is a map showing the distance from one side of the restricted area to the other side of the US Capitol restricted area is nearly half a mile.