Brooklyn Bridge White Flags Mystery, Police Looks At Surveillance Video
If you live in New York City, you may have noticed two white flags atop the Brooklyn Bridge on Tuesday morning, instead of the stars and stripes that usually grace the iconic structure. Locals as well as police are baffled by the strange prank, but a video has revealed the possible culprits.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) says that it is reviewing a video that shows four to five people “and some other individuals” atop the Brooklyn Bridge at around 3 a.m. just prior to the switch. John Miller, the New York’s deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism, said during a press conference that the lights flickered at that time.
Miller added that the locks that secure the top of the Brooklyn Bridge were still there, untouched. The official believes the perpetrators have experience in climbing, however, the reason remains a mystery.
“At this time, it appears (the act) has no particular nexus to terrorism. This may be somebody’s art project, or may be an attempt to make some kind of statement. But it’s not clear what that statement is.”
Miller explained the timeline of events, as suggested by the video, stating that shortly after 3 a.m. a group of four or five individuals, along with some others, are seen climbing the Brooklyn Bridge. At around 3:30 a.m., the light that illuminates the American flag at night flickered and went out.
Police believe that aluminum pans were used to cover the lights and two individuals or two teams changed the flags. Miller said that 13-minutes passed between the two flags going up.
“It looked like it had been thought out in advance,” Miller commented.
The flags appear to be white from a distance, however, they are actually American flags bleached out, as the stars and stripes can be seen if one looks closely. A white flag is the universal sign of surrender, and the symbolism can be interpreted in different ways.
NYPD Commissioner William Bratton said he’s “not particularly happy about the event,” and said authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding the culprits. Miller stated that the NYPD is looking at social media to see if anyone took credit for the massive security breach.
Considering the Brooklyn Bridge is a prime terrorism target and high-risk location in the U.S., the incident is a top law enforcement priority. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams told The New York Post:
“Political and social expression, whatever its message may be, has a place in our society, but not at the expense of others’ security. I am confident in the NYPD’s ability to investigate this matter.”
Several theories as to why the two white flags were switched atop the Brooklyn Bridge on Tuesday are being shared on social media, as police continues to investigate the mysterious incident.
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[Image via Twitter]
