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THE WHITE HOUSE was evacuated last night after a man jumped a fence and made it through the doors of the building before being apprehended.
The incident happened at around 7.30pm local time (11.30pm GMT) last night, just minutes after US President Barack Obama had left the White House by helicopter with his family.
It was a rare security breach at the White House, which is one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the world. Associated Press reports that it is unclear whether a fence-jumper has ever made it into the White House before.
The 42-year-old man from Texas, named as Omar Gonzalez, made it through the North Portico doors of the presidential residence before being caught by Secret Service agents.
“It appeared to responding officers that he was unarmed, which turned out to be true,” Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said.
“Gonzalez ignored the commands of those officers to stop and ultimately was apprehended by officers just inside the North Portico doors of the White House”.
Gonzalez was brought to a nearby hospital to be examined after he complained of chest pain. He has been charged with unlawful entry.
White House staff and journalists were rushed out of the building by Secret Service agents immediately after the security breach.
“This situation was a little different than other incidents we have at the White House,” said Ed Donovan, another Secret Service spokesman. “There will be a thorough investigation into the incident”.
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Personally I read that as some council lads still want to be able to do favours for people by cranking planning while insisting on a strictly insane rules that force people to have tiny windows or that don’t let new buildings be new as in a new design rather than the big standard. Without the power sure they are no better than the rest of us, where’s the fun in that like.
@Peter: Maybe, but on the other side of the coin we have developers dictating planning decisions, and that can’t be good for anyone. There has to be a regulated middle ground.
@Boyne Sharky: don’t get me wrong, I think the whole process needs to be cleaned up and made simple and consistent all over the country. I have heard of people being told the house planned should be double the size while others only a mile away told to make it smaller. Currently the whole thing is based on what the planning officer likes basically which is completely insane.
How many councillors is this country can honestly say they have any expertise in urban/rural planning? Travel around any part of Ireland and you will see the consequences of this.Taclky throughfares in every city and developer led housing monstrosities everywhere to extract the greatest profit.
And they were doing such a grand job ……… !
Less brown envelopes for them. Disgusting
Farewell to Parish-Pump politics, and good riddance!
Clueless Councillors now worried they won’t be able to sort out their local friends and relatives by green-lighting dodgy developments or by blocking necessary planning permissions. No more boring white bungalows with awful columns blighting the countryside.
People seem to be jumping on the councilors side of things here. Probably correctly so. But do we really want developers to be able to build what they want where they want it?
They sold their souls 20 years ago, for more money and increased pension benifits, Cant have it both ways, Whole system needs major overhaul, not what you know, But Who ??.
have your say