White House fence jumper arrested

The Secret Service arrested a person who jumped a barrier outside the White House grounds Tuesday afternoon, the agency said.

The Secret Service said in a statement that a person jumped a bike rack on Pennsylvania Avenue before 4:30 p.m. before attempting to climb the White House’s north fence. The person was taken into custody by officers with the Secret Service’s Uniformed Division.

“Following established protocols, Secret Service personnel increased their posture of readiness and members of the public were instructed to move away from the scene while the individual was taken into custody,” the statement continued. 

The person was charged with unlawful entry and taken to the Metropolitan Police Department, the Secret Service said.

Journalists on the driveway outside the West Wing were told to clear the area and go back inside. 

The agency has dealt with multiple fence-jumping incidents in recent years, and they have not let up since President Trump’s inauguration. 

The most serious security breach this year occurred in March, when a man who scaled the fence was on the White House grounds for 15 minutes before being apprehended. 

The Secret Service has tried to bulk up security measures around the White House, including placing bike racks in front of the permanent fence surrounding the North and South Lawns. 

Spikes on top of the main fence were installed in 2015 to deter climbers.

The federal government is planning to install a new, taller fence around the White House. The design was approved earlier this year but but it’s unclear when work will begin.

Updated: 5:50 p.m.