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'86 47' appears on National Mall, US park police investigating
The numbers "86 47" appeared on the National Mall near the Washington monument on Thursday. Trump administration officials are interpreting the vandalism as a threat against the president.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Park Police are investigating after massive numbers reading "8647" appeared etched into the grass on the National Mall, just days before President Donald Trump’s birthday celebrations and a major UFC event planned near the White House.
What we know:
Images from the National Mall show the numbers "8647" appearing in dead or discolored grass east of the World War II Memorial.
U.S. Park Police confirmed the markings were first noticed before noon and are now under investigation.
Authorities have not determined what caused the discoloration. Investigators have collected grass samples for testing and are examining the area for evidence.
The numbers appeared just days before a UFC event scheduled outside the White House on Sunday, which coincides with President Trump’s birthday, and ahead of major America 250 celebrations expected to bring heightened security to Washington.
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Park Police investigating '8647' marking on National Mall
Park Police are reportedly investigating an "8647" mark on the grounds of the National Mall. This is a term adopted by some of President Trump's opponents as a protest against his administration. Trump allies and the Department of Justice have said it could be interpreted as a call for violence.
Dig deeper:
The numbers have appeared in political discussions and on social media in recent months.
The term "86" is commonly used as slang meaning to remove, reject, or get rid of something. The number "47" is often used as a reference to President Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States.
What they're saying:
Members of the Trump administration are now interpreting the message as a potential threat directed at the president.
The Department of the Interior told FOX 5 that "deranged vandalism on our National Mall will not be tolerated" and added that "any threat against the president is taken very seriously."
A White House spokesperson also condemned the display, saying:
"Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible. They should also immediately seek psychiatric help to treat their severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome."
Retired FBI agent Richard Kolko told FOX 5 that law enforcement must take the incident seriously, but whether it ultimately rises to the level of a criminal threat will depend on what investigators uncover.
"One of the things investigators and prosecutors will have to take a look at is, is there some intent, capability," Kolko said.
He noted that investigators will likely use surveillance footage, witness interviews and forensic testing to determine how the markings were created and who may be responsible.
"If you look at the photographs it looks planned out, it wasn’t spur of the moment to do this," Kolko said.