This letter by the ACLU and the ACLU of the District of Columbia urges Congressional leaders not to react to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 by permanently fencing off the Capitol, which would turn its architecture from a beacon of democracy into a national symbol of fear and hostility towards the public’s presence. Instead, the moment calls for Congress to remain true to the values that embody America at its finest and maintain the space around the Capitol as a forum for the public to assemble.