A Chinese national was arrested after multiple attempts to breach the security of Mar-a-Lago, the private club and residence of former President Donald Trump.
The suspect, Zijie Li, 38, of El Monte, California, claimed to possess documents implicating the Chinese government in a recent assassination attempt on Trump.
WPTV reported that Li first attempted to enter Mar-a-Lago on July 19, around 8 p.m., driving a Toyota Prius. Secret Service agents stopped him at the main gate.
Li alleged he had critical information connecting China to an assassination attempt on the former president and insisted on handing over the documents. However, the Secret Service informed him that he was trespassing and prohibited from leaving any materials.
Palm Beach police were called to the scene and issued a written trespassing warning to Li, instructing him not to return under threat of arrest. Despite this, Li was spotted again on July 30, just 5:30 pm, driving towards the Mar-a-Lago checkpoint on South Ocean Boulevard, obstructing traffic.
An officer stopped Li and noted his GPS destination was Mar-a-Lago. He was released but seen again one hour later. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach officer intercepted Li, reiterated the trespassing warning, and let him go.
On July 31, Li made yet another attempt to enter the estate by passing through several Secret Service checkpoints before being stopped at the south gate.
According to Palm Beach Daily News, “He came back again about 10 a.m., driving east on Southern Boulevard across the Intracoastal Waterway and past the Secret Service checkpoints, trying to enter Mar-a-Lago at the estate’s southern gate, police said. At that point, he was back on Mar-a-Lago property and in violation of the trespassing warning, the report said. When security told Li that he couldn’t enter Mar-a-Lago, he left again — but this time, officers were looking for him.”
Given his previous warnings, police issued a “be on the lookout” alert. Li was finally arrested at the intersection north of Mar-a-Lago.
Trump was not at the estate when the incident happened.
He now faces a single count of trespassing after being warned and is being held at the Palm Beach County jail on a $10,000 bond, that was increased from the $3,000 bond.
WATCH:
Man claims documents link attack to China pic.twitter.com/GmLU4cNyCu
— Karli Bonne’ (@KarluskaP) August 2, 2024
On Friday, Li pleaded not guilty to trespassing at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club.
Palm Beach Daily News reported:
During first appearance before a judge Friday that was delayed to bring in an interpreter who speaks Mandarin, Li pleaded not guilty and was ordered to have no contact with Mar-a-Lago, Trump or Trump’s campaign, according to court records.
Also Friday, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office filed a request for a risk protection order to prevent Li from having access to firearms or ammunition, court records show.
Li is represented by a Palm Beach County public defender. That office as a policy does not comment on open cases.
According to a Palm Beach Police spokesman, this is the first security-related arrest at Mar-a-Lago since July 13, when a gunman shot at Trump as he spoke at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was killed by Secret Service agents after wounding Trump’s right ear and shooting three of his supporters, killing one.
The Secret Service has increased security around Trump’s estate and his other properties since that incident, including the agency’s decision to close South Ocean Boulevard next to Mar-a-Lago. The closure, which extends from the Southern Boulevard traffic circle north to South County Road, went into effect at 5 a.m. July 20.
