Cops Called Over 'IS' Birthday Balloons

It was a strange 21st birthday, Swedish woman says
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2015 1:29 AM CST
Cops Called Over 'IS' Birthday Balloons
"I will never forget my 21st birthday," Ericsson says.   (Shutterstock)

Police turned up at a Swedish woman's house after a vigilant passer-by spotted balloons that appeared to spell out "IS" for Islamic State—also known as ISIS—in her window. After speaking to her boyfriend, officers quickly determined that the balloons were to celebrate student Sarah Ericsson's 21st birthday and not the brutal extremist group's goal of establishing a worldwide Islamic caliphate, reports Al Jazeera. The boyfriend agreed to take down the "21" balloons anyway. "It was a little strange," Ericsson tells the Local, saying she understands why somebody would want to report what appeared to be ISIS propaganda, but from the other side of the window, most people thought the "21" looked more like "12." (More ISIS stories.)

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