Bumper sticker scandal: NJ school employee accused of promoting anti-Trump violence

✅ A bumper sticker with '8647' was on a Middletown school employee's car

✅ It can be interpreted as a threat to President Donald Trump

✅ Middletown police are investigating, and the Secret Service was notified

MIDDLETOWN — A faculty member at a Monmouth County high school has slapped a bumper sticker on their vehicle that some interpreted as a call for the assassination of President Donald Trump.

The sticker reads "8647" in rose font as first reported by Monica Paige, the White House correspondent for Frontlines at Turning Point, an organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses. Frontlines is their media outlet.

New Jersey 101.5 has learned that the staff member is a guidance counselor at the school.

What does '8647' mean?

"8647" is a term that some have interpreted as a call for violence against Trump, who survived an assassination attempt before the election.

Merriam-Webster says 86 is slang often attributed to bar and restaurant workers meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to," while "47" is a reference to Trump's second term as 47th president of the United States.

The term got widespread attention last month when former FBI Director James Comey, who said he had been unaware of its significance, posted a picture he took of shells arranged into "8647" on a beach.

Comey said the idea that the numbers or his photo were a call to violence was "crazy" but deleted the photo after it got attention.

“Even if I think it’s crazy, I don’t want to be associated with violence of any kind," he later said in an interview. Comey was interviewed by the Secret Service 

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Police investigation

Mayor Tony Perry, a Republican, told New Jersey 101.5 that he became aware of the sticker earlier in the week. He said Middletown police will be investigating the sticker and the Secret Service will be notified.

Perry was not aware of any disciplinary action taken by the district. Superintendent Jessica Alfone not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for comment.

"Anyone that's actively promoting harm needs to be talked to, certainly have a police investigation. And that's exactly what the Middletown Police Department did was investigate and question this individual specifically," Perry said.

"No person should ever be wishing or promoting harm on any other person, whether it be a student, teacher, parent or the president of the United States."

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Perry hopes NJEA president Sean Spiller, who is a Democratic candidate for governor, would publicly condemn the sticker.

A teacher from Middlebury Schools in Indiana resigned this week when she wore a "8647" T-shirt during a student trip to Washington, according to WNDU TV. She posted a picture to her social media showing herself wearing the shirt in front of the White House . When she was informed the district had decided to cancel her contract, she resigned, according to the district.

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