'Stupidity' shuts New York bridge

Police shut down a New York City bridge for about two hours today after workers spotted three men in a restricted area.

Fears of a terrorist attack were sparked, but the mayor later said it was just three “stupid” men “sitting around drinking”.

Traffic was backed up in both directions as authorities closed the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn.

“What it really was was three guys who apparently got into someplace they shouldn’t. They were just sitting around drinking, so there was no threat,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

“These three guys are in trouble and they certainly inconvenienced a lot of people.”

Two men from Massachusetts and a third from Rhode Island were questioned at a nearby police station.