Federal Probe Opens After Giant ‘86 47’ Appears In National Mall Grass

Federal authorities are investigating large "86 47" markings that appeared in the grass on the National Mall near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, just days before crowds were expected for President Donald Trump's 80th birthday UFC event on Sunday.

U.S. Park Police said they responded around 11:30 a.m. to a vandalism report on the west lawn, while Reuters reported a photographer saw the numbers shortly before police and National Guard members arrived. The Secret Service deferred questions to the Park Police, and officials have not said who created the numbers or how the grass discoloration occurred.

The numbers drew attention after freelance photojournalist Andrew Leyden, who posts as @PenguinSix, shared that "markings are visible in the grass next to the Washington Monument with a large police presence on scene." He later wrote that the markings appeared to be in the shape of "86 47."

Images from EarthCam showed the numbers emerging over several days, with the figure 8 appearing most clearly as browned grass. Photos of the area from earlier in the week did not show the numbers. The Washington Post reported the numerals were already visible on Tuesday.

By Thursday afternoon, National Park Service workers had roped off the area, and National Guard members appeared to direct visitors away from the grass. Reuters reported that one of its photographers saw the markings shortly before U.S. Park Police and National Guard members reached the scene.

Park Police said the investigation remains ongoing. The agency described the initial call as "a report of vandalism," but authorities have not confirmed whether someone intentionally burned, chemically treated, cut or otherwise altered the grass. A law enforcement source told CNN that the Secret Service will partner with Park Police when officials locate a suspect.

"86" is rooted in the restaurant and bar industry, dating back to at least the 1920s or 1930s, where it meant an item was out of stock or a customer should be removed. Merriam-Webster defines it as "to throw out" or "to get rid of," though Cassell's Dictionary of Slang notes it can also mean "to kill" or "to execute" – a darker reading that Trump and his allies lean on when criticizing the phrase. The number "47" refers to Trump as the 47th president, making "86 47" shorthand for removing him from office, and the slogan has appeared on merchandise, protest signs, and social media as a broad symbol of opposition.

The numbers carry political weight because "86 47" has already figured in a federal case tied to Trump. Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted in April for allegedly making a threat against the president after posting an image of seashells on a beach that some interpreted as spelling out a threatening message on social media. Comey has maintained his innocence and said he will fight the case on free speech grounds.

The White House responded sharply to the National Mall markings. "Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible," a White House spokesperson told NBC News, adding that they "should also immediately seek psychiatric help to treat their severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome."

If the Trump administration decides to pursue the Mall case as vandalism or as a threat against Trump, the matter would go through the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, according to NBC Washington. That office declined to comment Thursday afternoon.

The markings also follow other "86 47" incidents in Washington, including graffiti at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, reported by the Washington Examiner, and a separate legal fight over an "86 47" flag near the National Mall, reported by TIME.