Odd goings on in downtown Philly this morning.

Saw 6-7 police cars spontaneously (as in all arriving at once) appearing and blocking off a block-long section of a street. They also put yellow tape up blocking sidewalk access.

30 or so minutes later a helicopter turns up and starts hovering *very* low over one of the buildings on that block. Civilian markings - not police or military. It eventually lowers a winch line, but then moves off without picking anything up.

Now the copter is back - with a big piece of pipe in the winch sling. Guess there is some repair work going on, probably cooling/ventilation.

Was not sure what it could be. From the equipment around it looks like someone is filming something at the Comcast Center (1 block east), and the building the copter and police are around has a bunch of stuff in it, including the local Israeli consulate*.

The cats are sitting on the window sill watching the copter.

* - Which draws weekly protests every Friday afternoon with a smaller counterprotest across the street from it.