Crazy guy threatens to blow up the Liberty Bell

Some guy went to the Liberty Bell in Philly and threatened to blow it up. He said he had left some explosives in backpacks nearby which caused a major police response in the area.

Man who made empty Liberty Bell threat not from here

A man threatening to blow up the Liberty Bell was detained Saturday, police said, after leaving two backpacks nearby that he said contained explosives.

Two black backpacks were found in front of the Liberty Wheels wheelchair and scooter rental shop at 714 Market Street, a half-block away.

Police arrived around 10:45 a.m. and closed off Market Street between 7th and 8th Streets.

Shortly after, a member of the Philadelphia Police Department's bomb squad unit began examining the backpacks. Other members of the unit arrived later, going back and forth between the bags and the testing equipment in their van. The results came back negative for hazards, a bomb squad officer said.

Market Street reopened to pedestrians and traffic around 11:45 a.m. The Liberty Bell remained open throughout.

Philly.com

I love how easily a state of panic can be created in the formerly proud US of A. Some nutjob leaves a few backpacks lying around and gets a whole section of a major city shut down for about an hour. It does seem telling though that they never bothered to shut down the very thing he was threatening to blow up.

Of course, me, I have to wonder if this whole thing may have been the result of poor communication somewhere along the line...

I've heard of someone threatening to ring their bell before, but this is taking it to rather extreme limits, isn't it?

Sorry.. couldn't resist.

Agreed though on how an idiot with a delusion can cost untold sums and shut down areas of a city. Hey, Bin Laden said well before 9/11 that we could NEVER be defeated militarily. He knew that much. He made it clear he'd defeat the U.S. by economics. $1,000 spent in threats brings a $1 million dollar reaction from Washington...at least.

It's downright sad to see it's gone THIS far on the knee jerk reactions to everything. Suspicious package calls and STILL..the white powder scares over sugar or other harmless things spilled somewhere is just shameful to see happening. We've become a nation scared of our own shadow and running from it when it's spotted.

Who really is the crazy person here?

The one guy saying stupid stuff?

Or the thousands of cowards who live their life based on what the 1 guy said?
Fear, Paranoia, etc are also part of the delusional mentality aren't they?

Hmmm....this and many more questions plague my mind.

Originally posted by FortAnthem


Some guy went to the Liberty Bell in Philly and threatened to blow it up. He said he had left some explosives in backpacks nearby which caused a major police response in the area.

Hows their strict gun laws working for them over there?

Oh nevermind, it appears here that they have found MORE DESTRUCTIVE ways around gun restrictions...

Someone was watchin V for Vendetta a lil too much eh?

Ya nothing new, I think I heard this at least once a year while I was living in the area.

That damn thing weighs a couple of tons and it would take a considerable blast to "blow up" the Liberty Bell. Public reation is far more interesting. Maybe the (idiotic)public needs to be worked up into such a panic that logical thought resumes. Or major de-population and start again from scratch, sometimes you just have to let that sinking ship go down and build another.

Originally posted by resoe26
Someone was watchin V for Vendetta a lil too much eh?

I'm afraid to say it here, but I've NEVER seen the movie...

Originally posted by HomerinNC

Originally posted by resoe26
Someone was watchin V for Vendetta a lil too much eh?

I'm afraid to say it here, but I've NEVER seen the movie...

You outta check it out.
Worth the watch IMHO

Let him blow it up, in fact let him blow himself up with it.. The ample warning given from him that he had plans on blowing it up gives away the fact the he in fact was never really going to do it....