Someone burned or chemically etched the numbers “8647” into the grass of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Thursday — large enough to be photographed from the top of the Washington Monument.
U.S. Park Police responded around 11:30 a.m. after the markings appeared on the west lawn. Photos taken by a Reuters photographer showed a clear “8” and “7” alongside fainter digits, appearing as brown patches against the surrounding green grass. How the markings were made remains unknown, and grass samples have been collected for testing.
The Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Mall, called the incident “deranged vandalism” and said those responsible would be held accountable. The Trump administration has previously characterized the phrase as a threat against the president.
“8647″ has become a rallying slogan among Trump critics. “86” is longstanding American slang for getting rid of something, while “47” refers to Trump’s position as the 47th president. The phrase gained national attention when former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for posting a social media photo of seashells arranged in those numbers.
No individual or group has claimed responsibility. Potential charges would be handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C., which declined to comment.
