Smoke bomb thrown over White House fence, ‘Occupy’ protesters suspected

PanARMENIAN.Net - An apparent smoke bomb was thrown over the fence of the White House as hundreds of Occupy protesters massed outside the gates, Fox News reported.

The crowds were dispersed Tuesday, Jan 18, night and the White House was all clear. U.S. Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie says there were no arrests in the incident.

The Obamas were at dinner celebrating Michelle Obama's birthday, but they have since returned to the White House without difficulty.

The tense scene outside the White House follows an earlier protest on the West Lawn of the Capitol, in which several hundred protesters affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement decried the influence of corporate money in politics and voice myriad other grievances.

Organizers had touted the rally, known as Occupy Congress, as the largest national gathering of Occupy protesters to date and secured a permit that would have allowed up to 10,000 people to participate. By mid-afternoon, the protest appeared to have fallen far short of those goals.