There were two bomb scares in Union Sq. over the last week. On Thursday night, police responded after a report of a suitcase chained to a park bench on Union Sq. W. A police helicopter hovered overhead, as officers opened the suitcase and found it not to contain anything dangerous. On Saturday, the Bomb Squad responded to a report of a backpack left in front of the Barnes & Noble bookstore on Union Sq. N. The bookstore was evacuated, 17th St. was blocked off and the Greenmarket was evacuated. A Bomb Squad member wearing a protective Kevlar suit crawled up to the pack and investigated it, finding it not to be a threat. Police later opened it, finding inside pieces of tie-dyed clothing, an aerosol spray can and colored beads.
