Boston Cops Mistake Ad Lights for Bombs


image: Channel 5

Boston was crazy today with at least five choppers hovering over the river on a news that seven suspicious packages were found under the city's bridges. One of the packages was blown up. "Officials said the package contained an electronic circuit board with some components that were "consistent with an improvised explosive device," but they said it had no explosives."

The "explosive devices" turned out to be ad installations for Adult Swim's new animated show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. "Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards. We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger." (More on ABC, Boston Globe.)

Update (9pm): More pictures via AdRag, Make and other sources:


source: MSNBC



source: Make (follow the link to see video)


Source: Vanderlin @ Flickr

Here's a YouTube video about how the device works.

Why do people keep referring to the campaign as "hoax"? How was it intended to misguide anyone? What is it about these LED displays that looks like a bomb? Besides, MAKE wrote about this project two weeks ago.

Earlier:
Bomb Squad Blows Up Tricked Out News Box (a promo for Mission: Impossible similarly gone wrong).
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