The White House was placed on lockdown Tuesday afternoon and Secret Service urged reporters to clear the North Lawn where they film their appearances and stay indoors.
“Uniformed Division Officers responding to a suspicious package near Madison & Penn. Ave. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic may be impacted,” the Secret Service tweeted at 1 p.m.
“This is a bigger situation than normal,” a Secret Service agent told the Washington Examiner.
The lockdown was lifted at 2 p.m., according to the agency’s Twitter account.
Vermont Avenue was blocked off starting at I Street and Lafayette Park is closed, the agent said. The Secret Service blocked access to the perimeter, and white vehicles are blocking 16th Street.
Uniformed Division Officers responding to a suspicious package near Madison & Penn. Ave. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic may be impacted.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) September 12, 2017
The incident comes one day after the Secret Service reported an incident at the north side of the White House, just as President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were expected to return to the property from the Pentagon.
“Secret Service agent with TV pool says the White House lockdown was caused by someone who threw a sign and yoga mat over the fence,” NBC reporter Peter Alexander tweeted yesterday. The Secret Service later said it was a “sign and a notebook.”
“Uniformed Division responding to an incident at the north fence line, along Penn. Ave. Area is closed to pedestrian traffic,” the Secret Service tweeted around 10:30 a.m. Washington time.
Two people were taken into custody for “throwing unknown objects” over the fence, the agency later added.
Gabby Morrongiello contributed to this report
