Speech chilled? #FireHolder‬ protest at White House shut down by Secret Service

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

https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219791225530748930

https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/219789324709928960

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

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