White House intruders

The White House is the official residence (Executive Residence) and office space (West Wing) of the President of the United States. Extensive security measures are used to protect the White House, primarily through the United States Secret Service.

There have been four assassinations of U.S. presidents and many more assassination attempts. However, intruders who come to the White House have not always tried to harm the President. Usually, they are trying to get attention for their ideas (e.g. Anthony Henry) or are intruding accidentally (e.g. a plane flying errantly into White House airspace).

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the restricted airspace above the White House has been expanded and better enforced. Still, some planes have found their way above the President's home by mistake.

Though there is currently a fence surrounding the White House, it did not always exist. At the time of America's founding, there were sheep that would wander onto the White House lawns. For years, anyone could walk onto the lawn of the White House. It was seen as a testament to the nation's security that it was not necessary to build in any security to the house. In modern times the security fence was deemed necessary to better protect the house and the President.

Police also built barricades on the streets surrounding the White House in 1983.

Intrusions

Here is a list of a number of attacks on the White House over the years:
* April 13 1912 - Michael Winter
* December 21 1922 - Paul McDaniel
* February 17 1974 - Robert K. Preston
* February 1974 - Samuel Byck
* December 25 1974 (7:07 a.m.) - Marshall H. Fields
* November 26 1975 and again 6 December 1975 - Gerald B. Gainous
* December 1 1976 - Steven B. Williams
* July 27 1976 - Chester Plummer
* October 1978 - Anthony Henry
* March 3 1984 - David Mahonski
* January 28 1985 - Robert Latta
* March 15 1985 - Chester Ramsey
* August 21 1986 (1:15AM) - Rosita Bourbon
* November 21 1987 - Mike Davis
* 1991 - Gustav Leijohhufved
* May 24 1995 - Leland William Modjeski
* October 4 2005 - Shawn A. Cox

Resources

*"White House Once a Place That 'Belonged' to Public". RICHARD D. LYONS Special to The New York Times. New York Times, May 9 1970. p. 9.
* [http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/ustreas/usss/t1pubrpt.html Public Security Report]
* [http://www.prop1.org/park/pave/rev9.htm A history of White House security]