A suspect in Washington, D.C., tried to set fire to the Freedom Bell outside Union Station, authorities said.
Washington, D.C., officials confirmed the incident on social media Sunday night. Misinformation online led many to believe that the suspect had attempted self-immolation, but no injuries were reported.
“An individual attempted to set fire to the bell outside the station,” the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services told X. “Contrary to social media reports, there were no people on fire.”
“There were no injuries and this is a law enforcement issue.”
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The Liberty Bell in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C. Police say someone tried to set the bell on fire Sunday night. (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
One X user was confused by this announcement.
“How do you light a metal bell?” one social media user wrote.
The bell, commonly known as the Freedom Bell, is a sculpture designed to resemble the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. It was a gift from the American Legion, a veterans organization, a few years after his 1976 bicentennial.
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A replica of the Liberty Bell, a gift from the American Legion, is placed outside Union Station in Washington, D.C. Police say someone tried to set the bell on fire on Easter Sunday. (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
The bronze bell has been in place outside Union Station since 1981, more than six years after it was approved by Congress. It is owned by the National Park Service.
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FOX News Digital has contacted the Metropolitan Police Department for comment.
