Tightening security at the White House. The Secret Service just put new restrictions in place to keep people further back.
Now the sidewalk next to the south lawn's fence is closed and visitors will have to stand behind a concrete barrier on the other side of the street. The new security rules went into effect at 11p.m. Wednesday April 19, and will stay in place for the immediate future.
Many tourists are not happy about the change. "Now when we're trying to take a picture you're getting this rusted concrete barrier in front of you and trying to crop it out of your shot," said Jason McCartney who was visiting from Pennsylvania. "For us being the people, and this being our house, I think we should be able to get as close as possible," said Michelle Crawford, a tourist from Mississippi.
The new restrictions are part of the Secret Service's plan to prevent fence jumper. They've become a growing problem in recent years. in 2014 a man managed to get inside the White House before he was caught. Last month there were a string of fence jumpers, one man was on White House grounds for 17 minutes before he was stopped.
A new taller, more secure fence is scheduled to be installed along the south lawn next year.
