Student activists gathered outside the White House Monday morning to let President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder know that they intend to hold them accountable for the deadly Fast and Furious operation. But the protesters were quickly cleared out by Secret Service, leading many to wonder if the White House simply didn’t like their message.
Before the #FireHolder protest was shut down, the activists demanded justice for fallen border patrol agent Brian Terry and pressed the White House to release critical documents related to the federal gun-tracking scandal.
Holder lied, terry died, remember terry among chants at #fireholder #FASTANDFURIOUS protest
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) July 2, 2012
They're chanting "no justice. No peace" at #FASTANDFURIOUS protest outside white house #fireholder
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) July 2, 2012
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219796715753054209
https://twitter.com/arriannetalma/status/219800104255754241
https://twitter.com/CalebParke/status/219760593052246016
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219788880285675522
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Secret Service shut down the protest shortly after it began, citing a suspicious backpack and possibly a bomb threat.
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219803620726669312
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219804105512714240
https://twitter.com/MarjorieJeffrey/status/219804145203417088
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219804877554065408
#fireholder at WhiteHouse protest dispersed by Secret Service over apparent "bomb threat" no sign of bomb squad yet
— Josiah Daniel Ryan (@JosiahRyan) July 2, 2012
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Conservatives weren’t buying the “suspicious package” line.
https://twitter.com/karenshore/status/219843195457122304
@oliverdarcy call me skeptical but I find this a little too "convenient".
— marilyn whoolery (@marilynwhoolery) July 2, 2012
OWS & NATGAT are ok but #FireHolder protest is shut down? The perfect picture of what Obama's admin really stands for. #RememberBrianTerry
— Luthifer (@badluthifer) July 2, 2012
https://twitter.com/llondo/status/219805103954198528
I just spoke with Secret Service — they say this sort of thing is 'not infrenquent'http://t.co/1WeWAw9P
— Josiah Daniel Ryan (@JosiahRyan) July 2, 2012
Maurice Lewis, a student at the University of California, Merced, who marched in the event told Campus Reform that the Secret Service had seemed on edge well before the “suspicious package” was discovered.
“Several agents seemed hostile to our march and seemed anxious for us to leave the area,” said Lewis. “The discovery of the ‘unidentified package’ came just as the protest began to gain traction.”
And as it turns out, their skepticism was warranted.
They found whose bag it was . Tourist left backpack on ground to take picture, secret service chilled #fireholder #FASTANDFURIOUS protest
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) July 2, 2012
Via @mboyle1 – That "suspicious" pkg at #FireHolder protest was…a mom's backpack. Vid: http://t.co/KhnPTiSo
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 2, 2012
The Daily Caller Reports:
Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary told The Daily Caller later that law enforcement was not trying to chill protesters’ free speech rights. “We had an unattended package and we cleared it for public safety,” he said.
Leary admitted the “unattended package” turned out to be “absolutely nothing.”
“We responded as we always do with our SOP [standard operating procedure],” Leary said.
Leary said the Secret Service would not “characterize” the package but made the decision to close down the area out of “an abundance of caution.”
It appears Obama's Secret Service is now fully engaged in chilling freedom of speech and protest. #FastandFurious #FireHolder
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) July 2, 2012
The activists carried on, moving the protest to another location.
https://twitter.com/kjon/status/219805168915578880
https://twitter.com/MarjorieJeffrey/status/219805099243999233
But eventually the protest was shut down again.
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219812029689634820
The Secret Service shut down the #FastAndFurious protest at the WH. I guess Obama did not like waking up to ACCOUNTABILITY!
— J (@JustenCharters) July 2, 2012
Sorry, Secret Service, you might be able to clear Pennsylvania Ave. over a “suspicious package,” but you can’t shut down the #FireHolder movement on Twitter.
#FireHolder movement is running full steam ahead! Need your help — tweet the hashtag #FireHolder. Let's get it trending! #TeaParty #tcot
— Todd Cefaratti (@ToddJCefaratti) July 2, 2012
#FireHolder — and his corruptocrat Boss, too!
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 2, 2012
Come on everyone, let's get #FireHolder trending!
— Erin (@Erincclo) July 2, 2012
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