US probes ‘8647’ grass marking near Washington’s National Mall
What’s new: Park Police collected grass samples after the numbers appeared near the World War II Memorial ahead of July 4 events.
US authorities are investigating a large “8647” marking that appeared in the grass near the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington. The Department of the Interior called it vandalism, and US Park Police said the cause of the discoloration has not been determined. Officers responded around late morning, collected grass samples for testing and roped off the area as National Guard members directed people away. The slogan has been used by opponents of President Donald Trump, with “86” commonly understood as slang for getting rid of something and “47” referring to Trump as the 47th president. The incident comes as the Mall is being prepared for coming independence celebrations and a state fair later this month.