The White House went into lockdown for about half an hour on Monday, November 9, after a car crashed into the sidewalk in Lafayette Park in front of the US Presidential Palace and another person went through the security barriers. The US Secret Service has announced that it has arrested 2 people in connection with these two separate incidents.
According to Agence France-Presse, the driver of the car was quickly arrested after hitting a sign on the sidewalk in Lafayette Park and fighting with police officers. From the photos published by the witnesses, it appears that the policemen had an argument with the driver after they took him out of the vehicle.
These incidents occurred at the same time that Donald Trump hosted Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar at the White House.
The spokesman for the US Secret Service announced that an explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the scene to check the vehicle and make sure there were no dangerous materials.
The official also said that near the traffic accident, another person passed one of the security barriers in the northwest corner of Lafayette Park, and he was also arrested.