You will recall a few days ago that a small group of intruders climbed up a busy bridge into Manhattan and replaced the large American flags flying on the bridge towers with white cloth. Some grainy video of the perpetrators indicates that there were several of them, and they came prepared with equipment and materials to help pull off the stunt.

The authorities are going like gangbusters to catch these guys. I heard on the news today that video records all over the City are being scrutinized for clues to their movements, taxi drivers are being interviewed, and even a search for their DNA at the scene of the crime is being instituted in order to bring them to justice.

Why? Nobody got hurt, no property was damaged, nothing was sabotaged, no one was endangered or even inconvenienced. Its not like they blocked off several lanes of traffic to deliberately cause a traffic jam…

Sure, these guys did trespass and, if they’re caught, they deserve a fine, if for no other reason than to discourage others from pulling the same stunt. But does this justify a hi-tech manhunt with all the tools and talent the Law can muster? Or is the gendarmerie simply humiliated and determined to spare no effort or expense to get their petty revenge?

It appears to me the perps did us a favor, by demonstrating how inadequate security measures are for protecting a vital transport artery. It is pretty clear there was no criminal activity (other than simple trespass). This was a prank, not a malicious attack, pointless vandalism, or reckless endangerment of others. I agree what they did was a misdemeanor, and deserves punishment. We can’t have jokesters randomly testing all our security measures. It would overload our defenses. But now that the event is long past, what can be gained by a full-fledged police mobilization? What we really need to do is find out how they did it, and plug the breach in our defenses. These guys deserve a medal for pointing out an embarrassing vulnerability.