The Secret Service says security for the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House will be handled at a Super Bowl-level after DHS designated the event SEAR 1. The Octagon on the South Lawn is invitation-only for about 4,000 guests, while a larger crowd will watch from The Ellipse and must pass TSA-style screening. Drones are banned over the National Capital Region and law enforcement will use drones for overwatch. Recent shootings near federal events have increased vigilance and coordination with U.S. Park Police.
Secret Service: White House UFC Security Will Match Super Bowl Standards
Security for UFC at White House will be at Super Bowl level, Secret Service says
The U.S. Secret Service says security for the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House will be handled at a Super Bowl-level standard after the Department of Homeland Security designated the event a Special Event Assessment Review 1 (SEAR 1) occasion.
Event Designation and Access
The Octagon has been erected on the South Lawn for an invitation-only audience of roughly 4,000 guests. A larger public audience will view the action from The Ellipse, just outside White House grounds.
Anadolu via Getty Images - PHOTO: White House readies for UFC event as 250th anniversary celebrations approach
Screening and Public Safety
The UFC Fan Fest and Watch Party on The Ellipse is free to attend but requires a ticket. Attendees must pass through TSA-style security screening before entry. "Come early, don't bring large bags, TSA-like security screening," said Tara McLeese, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington Field Office.
"I can tell you that our workforce is training every day, that we are hyper-focused on ensuring that we are ready to respond to any type of threat or attack that comes our way," McLeese said.
Federal law prohibits recreational drones in the National Capital Region; law enforcement will deploy drones for overwatch. Officials ask the public to report any unmanned aircraft they observe rather than attempting to approach or interfere with them.
ABC News - PHOTO: United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Field Office Tara McLeese speaks with ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas at D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Coordination and Broader Measures
The Secret Service is coordinating closely with the U.S. Park Police and other federal, state and local partners to secure UFC events and related activities. For the first time, the annual Fourth of July fireworks on the National Mall has been designated a National Special Security Event, bringing security measures similar to those used for presidential inaugurations. Attendees of Independence Day events will also be required to pass through designated security checkpoints.
Heightened security follows several recent incidents in which Secret Service uniformed division personnel were involved in shootings near federal events. Authorities say those incidents have intensified training, patrols and preparedness across the region.
Officials recommend that attendees arrive early, bring minimal belongings, follow posted instructions and leave drones at home.
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