'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Signs Caused Panic In Boston 15 Years Ago Monday

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — It's now been 15 years since highways, bridges and some transit stations around Boston were closed by a terror scare that turned out to be nothing more than a guerrilla marketing campaign.

The panic on Jan. 31, 2007, was caused by two artists who placed about three dozen lighted signs of a cartoon character called a "mooninite" making an obscene gesture in and around the city.

The signs were promotions for the movie "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." But they prompted a massive law enforcement response.

Some thought it was an overreaction and Boston was widely ridiculed. The devices were placed in nine other cities, and barely registered.

The men who placed the devices, Sean Stevens and Peter Berdovsky, were originally charged with placing a hoax device, but eventually agreed to perform community service and make a public apology.

(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)