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White House briefly on lockdown after car crashes near Lafayette Park
By Xinhua Published: Nov 10, 2026 09:43 AM
Police officers investigate the scene where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Police officers investigate the scene where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)


Police officers investigate the scene where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Police officers investigate the scene where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)


Police officers stand guard at the site where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Police officers stand guard at the site where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)


Police officers stand guard at the site where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Police officers stand guard at the site where a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign near Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 9, 2026. The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence. In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner. (Xinhua/Li Rui)



The White House was briefly placed on lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents occurred near Lafayette Park, just north of the presidential residence.

In one incident, a car drove onto the sidewalk and struck an informational sign, while in the other, an individual jumped a barricade near the park's northwest corner.

Video footage posted on social media showed a silver sedan driving onto the sidewalk just north of Lafayette Park, which is located directly north of the White House. The driver was seen struggling with Secret Service officers and National Guard personnel.

"The driver was combative with law enforcement but was quickly placed under arrest," the Secret Service said in a statement, as quoted by NBC Washington. "Around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. That individual was also quickly placed under arrest."

The identities of the two individuals and their motives were not immediately clear.

The White House was placed under lockdown for about half an hour before normal operations resumed.