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---
title: Brooklyn Bridge White Flags Confuse Everyone
description: Police removed a pair of white flags that mysteriously replaced the American stars and stripes on top of the Brooklyn Bridge Tuesday morning.
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article:published_time: 2014-07-22T16:41:36.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:11:51.449Z
og:title: Brooklyn Bridge White Flags Confuse Everyone
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# Mystery White Flags on Brooklyn Bridge Provoke Social Media Frenzy

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by 

[Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/)


## Laura Stampler


Jul 22, 2014 4:41 PM UTC

by 

[Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/)


## Laura Stampler


Jul 22, 2014 4:41 PM UTC

The New York Police Department has removed a pair of white flags that mysteriously replaced the American stars and stripes [on top of the Brooklyn Bridge](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/nyregion/white-flags-mysteriously-appear-atop-the-brooklyn-bridge.html) Tuesday morning.

While the unexplained security breach is under investigation by police, the incident has incited a slew of social media confusion and some conspiracy theories.

Has Brooklyn surrendered?

> [](https://twitter.com/Gothamist/status/491583352622034945)

> [](https://twitter.com/JonLemire/status/491583580074938369)

[Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams issued a statement](http://www.businessinsider.com/nypd-investigating-mystery-white-flag-on-brooklyn-bridge-2014-7) that no, “We will not surrender our public safety to anyone, at any time.”

Were the flags in question actually American flags that had been whitewashed? Oren Yaniv of the _Daily News_ said yes:

> [](https://twitter.com/OrenYaniv/status/491609933230927872)

Even more suspiciously still, the police folded the flags in a ceremonial manner after taking them down:


> [](https://twitter.com/kevindepew/status/491605004453953539)

While Adams is approaching the confusing stunt very seriously — “If flying a white flag atop the Brooklyn Bridge is someone’s idea of a joke, I’m not laughing. The public safety of our city is of paramount importance, particularly our landmarks and bridges that are already known to be high-risk targets.” — others online are taking a lighter approach.

It’s a marketing stunt for a little-remembered British singer of the 1990s:

> [](https://twitter.com/PreetiBhuyan/status/491610839976517632)


> [](https://twitter.com/sonicdork/status/491613988518891520)

Some thought it was a message from the borough on the other side of the bridge:

> [](https://twitter.com/carney/status/491608918855266305)

Others speculated what Brooklyn might be giving in to:

> [](https://twitter.com/seanludwig/status/491590077844180992)


If it helps, public officials aren’t sure either. In the words of an NYPD Deputy Commission for Public Information officer [to _Business Insider_](http://www.businessinsider.com/nypd-investigating-mystery-white-flag-on-brooklyn-bridge-2014-7), “We don’t know anything.”

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