The numbers appeared on the west lawn near the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial.
The number “86” is widely understood as slang for getting rid of or eliminating something, while “47” refers to President Donald Trump as the 47th president.
The combination has been interpreted by many as a direct threat or call to violence against the president.
The markings were spotted on Thursday.
According to reports, they were likely created between June 8 and June 9 by applying a chemical, possibly a herbicide, that killed or severely discolored the grass in the shape of the numbers.
The damage is highly visible in aerial photographs of the area.
The U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Park Police are leading the investigation.
An Interior Department spokesperson described the act as “deranged vandalism” and toldNBC News, “Any threat against the president is taken very seriously by the Department, and our U.S. Park Police will investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable.”
Grass samples have been collected for testing.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not yet identified any suspects.
Source: Cassandra MacDonald, Author at The Gateway Pundit
