Mystery solved? Two German artists claim credit for Brooklyn Bridge white flag stunt that embarrassed the NYPD…but will they return to the Big Apple and face the music?
- German artists Mischa Leinkauf and Matthis Wermke claim they were responsible for flying the white flags over Brooklyn Bridge in July
- The two released grainy footage which they say proves the stunt
- Apologized for any embarrassment caused to the NYPD
- Are currently in Germany but have claimed they are open to returning
- Still have the two Old Glories they stole in their possession
The Berlin-based artists claim their stunt, which severely embarrassed the NYPD, was not designed to cause a terror scare, but to celebrate the beauty of the bridge and mark the death of its German-born engineer.
Mischa Leinkauf, 37, and Matthis Wermke, 35, outed themselves as the cultprits to The New York Times on Tuesday, but attempted to diffuse the reaction to their escapade by denying the stunt was anti-American and promised to return the two huge flags they stole the night of July 22.
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Admission: German artists Matthis Wermke, 35, (left) and Mischa Leinkauf, 37, (right) claim to have erected white flags atop the Brooklyn Bridge in July for as a work of art
Culprits have come forward? A white flag flies on the Brooklyn Bridge, in Brooklyn, New York, USA, 22 July 2014 – allegedly placed there by two German artists
‘We saw the bridge, which was designed by a German, trained in Berlin, who came to America because it was the place to fulfill his dreams, as the most beautiful expression of a great public space,’ said Leinkauf to The New York Times in a phone call from Germany.
‘That beauty was what we were trying to capture.’
The two urban artists claim they scaled the suspension cables of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge before sunrise on July 22, which was the 145th anniversary of the death of John Augustus Roebling.
The two German artists said they can prove they removed and replaced the flags, but offered up scant evidence to The New York Times in the shape of grainy and jerky video shot from the top.
Embarrassment: The NYPD was shamed when the two Old Glories atop the Brooklyn Bridge were removed in the early hours of July 22 and replaced with two white flags
Mischa Leinkauf and Mattias Wermke said on Tuesday they removed the bridge’s American flags and posted the white flags early July 22 in celebration of public art. They say July 22 marked the 145th anniversary of German-born bridge architect John August Roebling’s death. They say they’re returning the American flags
The artists, who have sought legal representation in light of the furious reaction from the shamed NYPD, have said that they are coming forward to explain their art according to USA Today.
They claim that between the hours of 3am and 5am they carried one 11-foot by 20-foot to each of the bridge’s two stone towers, and replaced the Stars and Stripes flying at the Manhattan and Brooklyn ends.
The artists made it specifically clear that they followed the time honored US Flag Code when the removed the 12-foot by 18-foot Old Glories from the bridge.
Trying to head off any more criticism, the two artists, who have been stunned by the response to their artistic project, have promised to return them.
They have not said how they will do this though.
Claims investigated: Deputy Commissioner Stephen Davis says the investigation is continuing. He says detectives are trying to determine if more than two people were involved in the flag switch. The artists first made their claim of responsibility to The New York Times.
Claiming they acted alone, the Germans claimed that they saw no security cameras when they scaled the Brooklyn Bridge.
When the NYPD realized in the morning that a major security breach had occurred at one of the top terror targets in New York City, specialists spent hours conducting a thorough sweep of the bridge for devices.
Contrary to the artists claims, the NYPD have repeatedly said they are looking to speak to ‘four persons of interest’ seen on security camera at around 3am on July 22.
Despite seeking legal representation, the pair have said they are open to return to the US to face the music.
‘We always face the consequences,’ Leinkauf said. ‘This is part of the work, to have an open discussion. We just needed a little time to decide how to respond to the reaction.’
Stephen Davis, NYPD’s chief spokesman said to the Times they should come back: ‘If they want to come in and speak with us, we certainly would be more than happy to entertain them.’
Leinkauf and Wermke both claim to have used public spaces in the past to conduct their public art in Europe, but without having caused such a commotion.
However, they admitted to The New York Times, ‘we did not have the same problems with terrorism.’