On Sunday, February 1st, the U.S. Secret Service arrested a man who attempted to get over the White House fence by climbing over a bicycle rack.
As reported by CNN, an unidentified man was spotted by Secret Service agents close to the White House gate. At around 2:15 P.M., the man was arrested by the agents after he attempted to trespass the White House by using a temporary bike rack close to the fence as a booster. According to Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary, the man was promptly detained and charged with unlawful entry.
The man is currently being held by the Washington D.C. metro police.
The incident has raised even more concerns about the security around the White House and other government buildings. On January 26th, the Secret Service discovered a small drone laying on White House grounds. The drone, known as a “quad copter,” descended into the White House lawn and crash landed. As it turns out, the drone belonged to a government employee who claims he had lost control of it. The drone was not considered a threat and the employee is allegedly cooperating with authorities.
The employee, according to Reuters, is a member of an unidentified U.S. spy agency.
These two incidents are just the latest of a string of security breaches that have plagued the White House since last year. Last September, a man managed to jump over the security gate, run past the lawn, and enter the Executive Mansion before he was apprehended by Secret Service agents in the East Room. As a result of the breach of security, then-Secret Service Director Julia Pierson was forced to resign.
There is no word yet about the identify of the latest trespasser.
The perimeter fence that surrounds the White House is made of black steel with vertical columns. Much like chain-link fences, the White House fence is meant for security and primarily meant to fulfill a practical, rather than aesthetic, function.
