The California Highway Patrol on Thursday reported Indivisible Santa Barbara to the FBI for an “86 47” sign that its members held up on the Micheltorena Street bridge.
CHP Capt. Eric Zivic reported the sign to the FBI to determine if it could be a threat to the president. Someone who saw the sign called authorities and the CHP quickly responded to the scene.
When the CHP arrived, two people from Indivisible Santa Barbara voluntarily gave the CHP officer their names and dates of birth, Zivic said. Another chose not to give their information.
Indivisible Santa Barbara members frequently stand on bridges over Highway 101 to protest the actions of the federal government. Its members were on the Micheltorena Bridge on Thursday afternoon.
“The instant today is part of the Indivisible Santa Barbara outreach to the community where we express our first amendment right,” said Ian Paige, steering committee member of Indivisible Santa Barbara. “The highway patrol interfered with that saying that 86 47 displayed a threat to the president.”
The CHP is required to report all threats to elected officials to the appropriate agency, Zivic said.
The “86 47” term drew national attention earlier this year when former FBI Director James Comey arranged seashells with the numbers in an Instagram post. Comey was indicted and faces an October trial for allegedly threatening the president.
The numbers were interpreted by the Justice Department as a threat against the 47th president.
