White House Briefly Locked Down After Car Crashes Near Lafayette Park, Two Arrested

The White House was briefly placed under lockdown on Monday after a car crashed onto the sidewalk near the presidential complex in Washington, DC, triggering a major security response. US President Donald Trump was inside the White House when the incident occurred, while two people were arrested following separate security breaches near the premises.

The incident unfolded shortly before 10 am local time on November 9, when a silver sedan drove onto the sidewalk at the northern end of Lafayette Park, directly opposite the White House, and struck a signpost near the intersection of 16th Street and H Street NW.

The vehicle was seen emitting smoke as US Secret Service officers and National Guard personnel rushed to the scene. Video footage circulating on social media showed the driver emerging from the car and engaging in a physical confrontation with security personnel before being forced to the ground and taken into custody.

"The driver was combative with law enforcement, but was quickly placed under arrest," a Secret Service spokesperson said.

Authorities also called in the Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to examine the vehicle as a precaution. Several roads surrounding Lafayette Park were temporarily closed as security personnel secured the area.

In a separate incident around the same time, another individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. The person was also quickly arrested by security personnel.

The two incidents prompted a temporary lockdown at the White House. Reporters and members of the White House press pool were instructed to move inside the complex as officers responded to the situation. The restrictions were subsequently lifted after the security operation concluded.

The Secret Service confirmed that two people had been arrested and that both incidents were under investigation. However, authorities had not established whether the two incidents were connected.

Details about the identities of those arrested, their possible motives and the circumstances surrounding the vehicle crash were not immediately available. Officials had also not confirmed whether the crash was deliberate.

Lafayette Park, a prominent public space directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, is located close to the US president's official residence and is subject to extensive security arrangements.