Vandals trace giant '8647' on Washington's National Mall, triggering U.S. Park Police probe
The numbers '8647', a slogan interpreted as a death threat against President Donald Trump, were found on the National Mall grass on Thursday, triggering a federal investigation.
Discovery on the Mall
On Thursday, June 11, U.S. Park Police responded to reports of vandalism on the west lawn of the Washington Monument. The numbers "8647," spanning several dozen meters, had been traced into the grass. The ‘8’ was highly visible from a live webcam atop the monument, while the ‘6,’ ‘4,’ and ‘7’ appeared fainter. Police collected grass samples to determine the cause of the discoloration, which remains unknown. The U.S. Department of the Interior called the incident "deranged vandalism."
Any threat against the president is taken very seriously by the department, and our U.S. Park police will investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable.
A coded threat against Trump
The number combination draws on slang: "86" is widely used in the restaurant industry to mean cancel or get rid of something, and "47" identifies Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. Critics of the president have adopted the sequence as a slogan. Trump himself interpreted it directly.
That meant murder, and it comes across loud and clear.
The incident revived attention on the case of James Comey, the former FBI director. In April, the Department of Justice charged Comey with two felonies over a photo he had posted on Instagram showing seashells arranged as 86 and 47. The charges included making a threat against the president and transmitting that threat across state lines via social media. Comey, who led the investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia, took the image down and denied any violent intent.
I didn't realize some folks associated those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.
National Mall on the eve of celebrations
The markings appeared just weeks before the United States marks its 250th anniversary. A “Great American State Fair” is planned across the National Mall, which has recently undergone renovations personally overseen by Trump. Among the upgrades is a $13.1 million transformation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool from a gray-stone look to an "American-flag blue." Separately, CNN noted that large crowds are expected in the area for a UFC gala on Trump’s birthday.
Investigation ongoing
No arrests have been made. The U.S. Park Police said the origin of the grass discoloration has not been determined. Testing of the collected samples continues. Authorities have not indicated whether security footage or other leads have yielded suspects. The incident recalls the Comey prosecution, in which the Justice Department charged a former FBI director with making a threat against the president.
