Ex-FBI director deletes Instagram post of shells in ‘8647’ formation that Republicans claim is code for assassination

A photo of seashells posted on Instagram by the former FBI director James Comey is now being investigated by the US Secret Service, after the US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said it constituted a “threat” against Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Comey posted a photo of seashells forming the message “8647”, with a caption that read: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”

Trump’s supporters have interpreted the message as an endorsement of violence against Trump – the 47th president. There is more debate around the use of 86, a slang term often used in restaurants to mean getting rid of or throwing something out, and which, according to Merriam-Webster, has been used more recently, albeit sparingly, to mean “to kill”.

  • bluegreenwookie
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    3 days ago

    Remember when conservatives were hanging and burning effigies of president obama?

    • FrChazzz@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      Remember when they were covering the tail gates of their trucks in vinyl wrap depicting Joe Biden as hog-tied in the back of their trucks?

  • 800XL@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    They’re all in that kind of mindset because they’re constantly throwing around numbers that are white power dog whistles

    • SippyCup@feddit.nl
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      3 days ago

      I’m pretty sure someone arranged the shells this way, the same way someone puts a sticker on a lightpole that says “eat the rich.” The kind of thing that exists somewhere in between instruction and wishing.

      Comey saw it, thought it was neat, and posted it not knowing what it was.

      Which is idiotic of an FBI director. But nothing more.

      • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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        22 hours ago

        86 means ‘dump’ or ‘get rid of’.

        The default interpretation is not murder.

        187 would be different.

  • yesman@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Living proof that fascists don’t work food-service. Or maybe food-service workers are immunized against fascist ideology. Either way I hope 47 gets 86’ed.

    • threeduck@aussie.zone
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      3 days ago

      I mean, 1488 is a bit threatening, you probably wouldn’t want someone wearing that to a synagogue.

  • atzanteol@sh.itjust.works
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    3 days ago

    MAGA investigation:

    Sea Shells 8647.

    Hmmmm. French for “sea” is “mare” - “M” Shells are “S” Numbers are basically 13…

    OMG - MS13! He’s in a gang!

  • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    4 days ago

    More recently to mean to kill?

    It’s used daily at every restaurant/grocery store to mean they are out of an item. 86 cheddar just means your out of cheddar, stop selling it.

    Are all the working class calling assignations on cheddar cheese they sold out of now?

    • xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 days ago

      people have been using to mean “fire trump”, so they’re reinterpreting it to mean “assasinate” so that way they can.
      a. round up critics.
      b. stop a catchy slogan so people don’t chant anything interesting at protests.

    • Daggity@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      Aoc has routinely been mocked for having been a bartender, so yes absolutely.

    • LEM 1689@lemmy.sdf.org
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      4 days ago

      The phrase is used in a number of contexts, there is no “set” definition. Language evolves. The context here is solely up to the reader.

      • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        4 days ago

        Sure, so tomorrow when someone says sleep tight should I take it as have a good night and sleep well or that they want to bury me in the ground with no room for air? Lol. Stretching the possible meaning of a term and claiming language evolves shouldnt be enough to make claims that he’s calling for someone to be murdered. Honestly he should sue for slander/libel and endangerment to his self/family for someone making such claims.

        • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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          4 days ago

          Honestly he should sue for slander/libel and endangerment to his self/family for someone making such claims.

          I think that might actually help the doj by providing an accepted definition.

          this will likely come down to the govts whimsical attempt to criminally define clearly amorphous (but protected) speech for its prosecutorial benefit. a criminal case should loose lose instantly up and down the courts. we may get a chance to test that.

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            4 days ago

            If people cared about rights they would have brought Hunters case before the Supreme Court and said it was legal/illegal to make stipulations around purchasing/owning a firearm. It would have put Republicans in an anti gun stance. His charges for buying a firearm, not causing harm and supposedly being addicted to drugs while seeking help was a great example that Republicans don’t care about gun rights. They care about being better than someone else.

            Johnson said it:

            “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”

      • Timbits@lemmy.ca
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        4 days ago

        I find what you’ve said to be a death threat against my life and demand you get locked up.

      • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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        4 days ago

        there is no “set” definition

        👍 bread & circus about to get a whole lot circus-ier. wonder if they have the balls to charge?

  • MedicsOfAnarchy@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I would think that if an FBI director wanted a person dead, you’d be hearing about how he did it, rather than how he desired it.

    Also, I once used seashells to write “69ME”, but nothing happened, to my disappointment.

  • Wilco@lemm.ee
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    4 days ago

    Yea, 86 Trump. Come at me feds. It means “throw this thing away” and they fucking know it.

  • I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Fuck James Comey. He enabled the orange twatwaffle every chance he got in the name of A Higher Loyalty TM Now he’s on fucking instagram shit posting vague threats like he’s 14 and this is deep? He just wants attention so he can sell his trashy crime novels. Fuck you James.

    • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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      4 days ago

      Fuck James Comey

      well, yes… but. if the trump directed doj pursues a charge, its a serious 1st amendment challenge. we can all individually guess at motive, but another pillar may get publicly tested.

  • Luouth@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Next it will be “Fauci under investigation for death threat to Trump as he posts a picture of an orange with a cocktail stick in it”