"The Secret Service must continually evaluate security protocols and continually balance the security of our protected persons and facilities with the public’s ability to access them," Secret Service Communications Director Cathy Milhoan told The Hill.
Onlookers hoping to take selfies or try to catch a glimpse of the president will now be pushed to the north edge of Ellipse Park, as the sidewalk will be permanently closed to visitors.
"This is not going to impede the public's ability to take the iconic photo of the White House,'' Milhoan said. "It's still there. It's just going to be pushed back a little further. We are always trying to balance the desire for access and the security for both the public and those inside the grounds.''
On March 10, Jonathan T. Tran, 26, jumped three fences to gain access the south entrance of the White House with two cans of mace, a backpack and a letter for the president. He claims that he had originally authored the “Golden Showers” dossier and wanted to alert the president. He remained on the property undetected for 17 minutes.
“Tran was able to scale that particular area of the fence without setting off alarms because they had been removed, leading to confusion among officers about his whereabouts and whether an intruder was inside the White House complex,” sources told the Washington Examiner.
A week later the bike racks were breached in another incident, though the intruder did not make it to the actual White House fence.
Over the past three years, there have been roughly 100 attempts to enter the 18-acre property, with 95% of the suspects having a history of mental illness or emotional disturbance, USA Today reported.
