This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising.
By continuing to browse, you agree to the use of cookies described in our Cookies Policy.
You may change your settings at any time but this may impact on the functionality of the site.
To learn more see our Cookies Policy.
BACK IN JANUARY 2009 when Barack Obama was celebrating his election as US president there were understandably a lot of people who wanted to see him take the oath.
However, thousands of inauguration ticket holders missed the whole event when they became stuck in tunnel underneath Washington’s National Mall.
They were all purple ticket holders who had been directed into the tunnel by police, but despite queuing for hours in freezing temperatures many never made it out the other side in time to witness the inauguration.
Monday 23 December, 2024
Monday 23 December, 2024
Download our app
Thousands of people sing 'Lean On Me' while stuck in a tunnel
BACK IN JANUARY 2009 when Barack Obama was celebrating his election as US president there were understandably a lot of people who wanted to see him take the oath.
However, thousands of inauguration ticket holders missed the whole event when they became stuck in tunnel underneath Washington’s National Mall.
They were all purple ticket holders who had been directed into the tunnel by police, but despite queuing for hours in freezing temperatures many never made it out the other side in time to witness the inauguration.
The tunnel became known as the Purple Tunnel of Doom, and controversy arose in the wake of the debacle about the organisation of the event.
Still though, there were positive moments, and now videos of some of those trapped singing Lean on Me have begun to circulate online again.
27 pictures you make you feel instantly happier>
21 animal pictures to make you crease yourself>
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
call on me brother Inauguration lean Lean on Me national mall Obama President Obama purple tunnel of doom Washington