Markings that appear to show "86 47" seen on National Mall

Politics Markings that appear to show the numbers "86 47" seen on National Mall in Washington By Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn Senior Reporter, Politics Melissa Quinn is a senior reporter for CBSNews.com, where she covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Read Full Bio Melissa Quinn Updated on: June 11, 2026 / 2:55 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — Markings appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that seem to depict the numbers "86 47," according to photos taken from the top of the Washington Monument.A photographer for the Reuters news outlet saw the apparent markings just before federal authorities arrived to look into the incident, according to the wire service. Photos taken by the Reuters photographer show the faint tracings of "86 47" in the grass with the World War II Memorial in the background.The "8" appears most prominently, while the numbers "6" and "7" can be seen less clearly. The number "4" is the least visible in the photos. It was not immediately clear how the markings were made or who made them. A photo taken from the Washington Monument appearing to show "86 47" on the grounds of the National Mall on June 11, 2026. Nathan Howard / REUTERS The term "86" is slang meaning to "throw out" or "get rid of," according to Merriam-Webster. The phrase is commonly used in restaurant kitchens and originated at soda counters in the 1930s, according to the dictionary. But the term gained more attention recently when former FBI Director James Comey was indicted after sharing an Instagram post last year that showed seashells on the beach arranged to form "86 47."Comey deleted the post and said he believed the shell formation was communicating a "political message." The former FBI chief said he did not realize that some people associate the numbers with violence.Comey was charged with two counts of making threats against President Trump. He has not yet entered a...