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[UPDATE] Here's The "Suspicious Package" That Brought Bedford Avenue To A Standstill
By
John Del Signore
Published May 18, 2012
Modified May 18, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 18, 2012
Modified May 18, 2012
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[UPDATE BELOW -- Scroll down for a photo of the scary package: a plastic bag.] The world's hipster capital is under siege at this hour, with emergency crews and a bomb squad responding to a suspicious package on Bedford Avenue between North Fourth and North Seventh Streets in Williamsburg. An FDNY spokesman tells us units are on the scene to asses the threat of "something taped to a tree." In Williamsburgese, we think/hope that translates to "suspiciously annoying art project."
One local merchant Tweets, "I was told to close my store & evacuate because of a bomb threat on Bedford Ave between 5th & 6th." Whisk is still open, but others are quick to make with the jokes:
Ok I'm gonna get a green juice while you idiots investigate the "package" .
— Morgan Filtz (@morga_monster) May 18, 2012
Suspicious Package on Bedford and N5 ... streets blocked off but we're open!
— whisk (@whisknyc) May 18, 2012
The suspicious package on Bedford ave is 10:1 a dumb art project.
— Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) May 18, 2012
Artisanal bomb. RT @Breaking911: *SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE* 203 Bedford Ave & North 5 St. #NYPD on scene requsting #ESU #BOMBSQUAD to respond.
— David Weiner (@daweiner) May 18, 2012
Bomb threat, hipsters, trees, art project—enjoy yourself in the comments, everybody. We'll update as more information becomes available, and hopefully the thing turns out to be harmless so nobody has to regret any glib remarks.
Update 12:06 p.m.: One tipster tells us, "Rumor has it being a shopping bag with wires coming out of it taped to a tree in front of Northside Car Service. From N4 to N6th streets, the sidewalks are closed to pedestrians and car traffic and there's a ton of cops and truck (and even a helicopter!). For the most part, everyone seems to think it's some street art."
Okay, now this just got serious—the suspicious package is perilously close to the home of Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber. Rumors swirled that the underwhelming package was poised to score a 2.6, ha ha add your own lazy obligatory Pitchfork jokes in comments. (Courtesy RyanPitchfork.)
Suspicious Package on Bedford & N. 6th. Wires coming out of an I heart NY bag. Helicopter & expanding perimeter. #Williamsburg #bombthreat
— vasili gavre (@vasiligavre) May 18, 2012
Update 12:25 p.m.: Another tipster sends us this photo showing the tree to which the suspicious package is affixed. He tells us he took the photo just before evacuating his apartment:
(Bedford Avenue)
Here's a closer look, taken after the ESU inspected the package:
(A closer look)
Update 12:38 p.m.: Phew, it wasn't a bomb. An FDNY spokesman tells us, "It closed out normally," and a tipster tells us the street just reopened to traffic. Now who's going to claim responsibility and parlay this into a Kickstarter fundraiser?
Tagged
art
suspicious package
williamsburg
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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