Apparent smoke bomb tossed over fence puts White House in lockdown

The White House was locked down Tuesday night after a protester apparently threw a smoke bomb over its fence, news reports said, citing the Secret Service. The incident occurred as about 1,000 protesters with the Occupy movement, which campaigns for economic and social equality, were demonstrating outside the home and office of the US president, dpa reported. The demonstrators dispersed, Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie said. The Secret Service sent a robot to check out the device thrown onto the White House lawn, the Fox News cable news channel reported. No arrests were reported. A reporter covering President Barack Obama and wife Michelle's celebration of her 48th birthday said the press corps was barred from leaving the White House for 45 minutes upon the couple's return from a nearby restaurant. The Occupy protesters had earlier held a rally at the US Capitol. Four people were arrested, Capitol Police said.