Kennedy Center fencing goes up amid demolition fears

The latest: Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio Kennedy Center trustee, asked a federal judge for an emergency hearing Wednesday, arguing the closure may violate his earlier order.

• A member of Beatty's legal team was denied entry Wednesday and told the building was closed to the public.
• U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the Kennedy Center to respond by Thursday morning and said he would schedule a prompt hearing if necessary.

Friction point: Beatty's lawyers raised concerns about possible demolition, writing that the nature of the construction — "and any potential demolition" — remains unclear. They warned officials could demolish entrances or other public access to the building.

• Trump's board first threatened wrecking balls in August amid the fight over restoring his name to the building.
• The building's exterior has already been altered by the removal of the massive "Blue" statue.

Zoom out: Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday that renovations won't begin until an appeals court rules on the naming fight.

What the Kennedys are saying: Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, called the closure a "tragedy" and "hostage taking by the president."

• Maria Shriver, JFK's niece, wrote Tuesday that Trump's insistence that renovations wait until the naming dispute is resolved "blows my mind," calling it a "sad state of affairs."

What's ahead: Advocacy group Hands Off the Arts is planning a rally outside the Kennedy Center Friday at 6:30pm.