The Secret Service said staff members and journalists were “relocated” as pro-Palestinian demonstrators shook the security fence and threw objects at law enforcement officers outside the White House on Saturday evening.
President Joe Biden was not at the White House — he traveled to Camp David earlier in the day — but that did not stop the large crowd from getting rowdy outside the barriers following a nearby rally in support of a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“During the demonstration near the White House complex Jan. 13, a portion of the anti-scale fencing that was erected for the event sustained temporary damage. The issues were promptly repaired on site by U.S. Secret Service support teams,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
“As a precaution, some members of the media and staff in proximity to Pennsylvania Avenue were temporarily relocated while the issue was being addressed,” the statement added. “The Secret Service made no arrests associated with the march and there was no property damage to the White House or adjacent buildings.”
Palestinian protesters have shaken the fence so hard that they have moved portions of it back.@FrontlinesTPUSA @TPUSA pic.twitter.com/DOcz4DF8lg
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 13, 2024
The Washington Post reported a few hundred people gathered in Lafayette Square, which is across from the White House, and noted that at least “one person tried to scale the fence as some protesters were trying to unhook a section of it nearby before police quickly refortified the barrier.”
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Julio Rosas, a journalist and author on the scene, posted multiple videos on X showing people hitting and shaking the security fence. At one point, Rosas said, D.C. police and Secret Service agents “had to rush” to one area of the fence to prevent a breach.
🚨: DC police and Secret Service had to rush to one part of the security fence to prevent a breach from the Palestinian crowd. pic.twitter.com/CQFkE6q9nn
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 13, 2024
“Today, the District of Columbia welcomed many visitors who came to make their voices heard,” Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said in a statement. “The right to peacefully protest is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, and the Metropolitan Police Department has long supported those who visit our city to demonstrate safely. However, violence, destructive behavior, and criminal activities are not tolerated.”
She added, “While a majority of today’s demonstration remained peaceful, there were instances of illegal and destructive behavior in Lafayette Park, including items being thrown at our officers. We are supporting our partners at the United States Park Police as they investigate and hold those found responsible accountable for their actions.”