Kamala’s Secret Service Break into Hair Salon to Use Bathroom

The Secret Service has found itself at the center of yet another controversy and this one is an eyebrow-raising incident during a Kamala Harris fundraiser in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The drama unfolded on July 27, when agents taped over security cameras and broke into the Four One Three Salon to use its bathroom facilities, much to the dismay of the business owner, Alicia Powers.

Closed for Security, Opened for Convenience

The salon, located behind the Colonial Theatre where Harris was speaking, had been closed at the Secret Service’s request for security reasons. Powers complied, understanding the need for bomb sweeps and other precautions. However, what she didn’t expect was the Secret Service’s impromptu use of her closed and locked salon as a public restroom.

Covert Operations Caught on Camera

At 8:10 AM, a Secret Service agent, donning a dark suit and open-collared white shirt, approached the salon’s front entrance. After a quick inspection of the door and the security camera, the agent returned with a chair and taped over the Ring camera lens. This covert operation was captured by another security camera inside the salon, revealing a series of unexpected visitors over the next two hours.

Unauthorized Access and Alarming Discoveries

Emergency medical services personnel, someone in a camouflage uniform, and another person also dressed like a Secret Service officer were seen entering the salon. The salon’s security alarm blared continuously as the unauthorized guests used the bathroom. Powers, watching the footage later, felt a wave of violation wash over her. “There were several people in and out for about an hour-and-a-half — just using my bathroom, the alarms going off, using my counter, with no permission,” she lamented.

Aftermath and Apology

The situation escalated when it was discovered that the salon had been left unlocked, with the bathroom left untidy and the security camera still taped over. Powers, understandably upset, felt that her business had been disrespected. “Whoever was visiting, whether it was a celebrity or not, I probably would’ve opened the door and made them coffee and brought in donuts to make it a great afternoon for them,” she told Business Insider. “But they didn’t even have the audacity to ask for permission. They just helped themselves.”

Secret Service Response

The Secret Service initially denied entering without permission but acknowledged an agent had taped over the camera. After Business Insider reached out for comment, the Secret Service’s Boston-based field office head called Powers to apologize, admitting that the actions taken were “very wrong.” The agency offered to clean the salon and cover the alarm company bill, with a promise to visit and apologize in person over coffee.

A Rare and Unusual Incident

Former Secret Service special agent Bill Pickle speculated that the taping over of the camera might have been to limit visibility of Harris’s whereabouts, but the bathroom break sounded unusual. “We just don’t go in and take place or seize it,” Pickle said, highlighting the rarity of such actions outside of actual crime scenes or threats.

As Powers looks forward to a personal apology, she hopes the incident will serve as a lesson in respecting private property, even amidst high-stakes security operations. For now, the salon owner remains committed to her community, albeit with a newfound wariness of unexpected visitors.

In the world of American politics, it seems even a simple bathroom break can turn into a tale of intrigue and frustration, leaving small business owners like Powers to pick up the pieces.