The Secret Service apprehended a person outside the White House on Thursday, the third day since President Donald Trump heightened law enforcement efforts in Washington, D.C.
A video shared on X showed what appeared to be a white male in a striped shirt, tan shorts, and cap being wrestled to the ground by two Secret Service officers on Pennsylvania Avenue. One officer can be heard saying, "stop fighting" and "give me your hand." A third officer runs to the scene and a fourth arrives on a bicycle.
A voice on the video tells pedestrians, "They're going to close the avenue. Everybody to the park. Everybody to the park. Avenue is closed." The voice was likely referring to Lafayette Park, a common destination for people being directed away from the White House during security operations or closures.
"On Aug. 14 at approximately 3:15 pm, U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division officers detained an individual near the White House complex who was harassing a water vendor," a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement to Newsmax. "The individual was arrested for simple assault and resisting arrest and was transported to the Metropolitan Police Department's 2nd District for processing."
The individual's name, age, and residence were not released. Newsmax reached out to D.C. Metro Police for comment.
Trump announced Wednesday he will ask Congress to pass a crime bill related to D.C. and for a "long-term extension" of the federalization of the district's police force, a day after National Guard troops were deployed. Under the Home Rule Act of 1973, the president can oversee the police for up to 30 days, but any extension would need congressional approval or a legal amendment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.