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Manhattan DA warns staff they might hear 'fictional explosions' as Lady Gaga films 'Joker' sequel nearby and threats loom over Trump investigation

Lady Gaga is seen at movie set of the 'Joker: Folie a Deux' on March 25, 2023 in New York City.
Lady Gaga is seen at movie set of the 'Joker: Folie a Deux' on March 25, 2023 in New York City.Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
  • Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg warned his already nervous staff that they might hear "fictional explosions" near their office.

  • A scene from "Joker: Folie à Deux" will include explosions and hundreds of protestors, according to reports.

  • The Manhattan office has faced threats amid the hush-money investigation into Donald Trump.

As a possible indictment against former President Donald Trump nears, the scene around the Manhattan courthouse where the grand jury has been meeting has grown increasingly hectic.

There's been crowds of media and police, increased security measures, violent threats, a package of "suspicious white powder," and now, warnings of "fictitious explosions" from a movie shoot.

Staff at the Manhattan district attorney's office have faced growing threats, both online and otherwise, prompting Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to warn them that any explosions they hear over the weekend are likely not real.

That's because nearby a film crew is working on the sequel to the "Joker" right outside their offices.

The DA's office is on Hogan Place in lower Manhattan, just steps away from the Manhattan Criminal Court building, where wild scenes from "Joker: Folie à Deux" are scheduled to film on Saturday and Sunday, according to NBC News. The scene is expected to include explosions, some 700 protestors, and Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn.

In a memo to his staff on Friday, Bragg warned that the office had "seen reports that a movie filming outside of 60 Centre Street this weekend may include fictional explosions, which may be audible to those of you working over the weekend."

Bragg's warning came after a package with "suspicious white powder" arrived at the address where the grand jury is meeting. The package included a note to Bragg that said "ALVIN: I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"

"You may see reports about an envelope of white powder that was sent to the office. We want you to know that it was immediately contained in a secure location to prevent potential exposure," Bragg wrote in the memo, which was first shared on Twitter by New York Daily News reporter Molly Crane-Newman. Bragg added that officials deemed the substance in the envelope was not dangerous.

Bragg continued: "I know some of you have received offensive or threatening phone calls or emails directly to your desk lines. I am very sorry that you have had to endure these distressing disruptions to your workdays."

The grand jury likely heard its last witness last week and an indictment could come as early as Monday. Bragg has been investigating Trump over hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star who claims to have had an affair with the former president.

Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has called the investigation a politically-biased "witch hunt."

Read the original article on Business Insider