Santorum to receive Secret Service detail

January 5, 2012: Republican presidential candidate former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign stop with college students. (AP)

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum will be protected by a Secret Service detail from Monday, while rival candidate New Gingrich's campaign has also requested protection, FOX News Channel reported, citing sources.

Santorum requested Secret Service protection in the wake of a campaign incident in Washington state earlier this month, when "Occupy Tacoma" protesters heckled him as he addressed supporters.

Two protesters were arrested after a scuffle broke out at the event and a third was arrested after throwing glitter on Santorum -- known as "glitter-bombing" -- at the end of his speech.

After writing to the Department of Homeland Security to request the Secret Service detail, Santorum said that while

he had "been driving around most of this campaign in a truck with one other person ... we are in a different phase and ... we are in that discussion right now."

Meanwhile, FOX reported Sunday that Gingrich's campaign has been in discussions with officials regarding Secret Service protection since last week.

Mitt Romney, currently fighting neck-and-neck with Santorum in national polls, is the only candidate who currently has Secret Service protection.