10 Years Ago: Mooninite Signs For 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Cause Panic In Boston

BOSTON (AP) — It's been 10 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 were originally charged with placing a hoax device, but eventually agreed to perform community service and make a public apology.