White flags fly from Brooklyn Bridge in security breach
New York Post
In a stunning security breach, the giant American flags at the top of both sides of the Brooklyn Bridge were replaced by white-painted flags overnight, cops said Tuesday.
Emergency Services cops lowered the two rogue flags — which are the traditional symbol for “surrender” — and folded them into tight triangles using traditional procedures around 11 a.m. The cops also packed up what appeared to be painting supplies.
The discovery was made sometime on Tuesday morning.
“It amazes me nobody saw anything…I’m upset,” said Nick Krevatas 49, a bridge painter from White Stone, Queens.
Officials replaced replaced one of the white flags, on the Manhattan-side tower, with a U.S. flag by 1:15 p.m.
Police are trying to figure out how someone was able to gain access to the bridge, which has around-the-clock patrol cars stationed on both sides of the bridge and security cameras.
The cars face the center of the span — but it’s sometimes hard to see all the way to the towers in the middle, police sources said.
Patrol cars also park nearby Tillary and Old Fulton streets, the sources said.
It’s not the first time a U.S. flag has been stolen from the historical landmark. In 2004, anti-Bush protesters swiped one during the Republican National Convention — demanding a group demonstrators be released from police custody.
Getting to the top of the towers is no easy task. Specially trained Department of Transportation workers must walk the quarter-mile stretch on a foot-wide cable, attached to a tether, until they reach a ladder.
A Twitter parody account named @bicyclelobby jokingly claimed credit for the flag stunt on Tuesday — but Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said it was no laughing matter.
“If flying a white flag atop the Brooklyn Bridge is someone’s idea of a joke, I’m not laughing,” he said.
“The public safety of our city is of paramount importance, particularly our landmarks and bridges that are already known to be high-risk targets. We will not surrender our public safety to anyone, at any time.”
In April, a street artist named Supine, climbed the bridge and posted to YouTube a video of his adventure. He was later charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass.
