Overview
- Federal authorities say the World War II Memorial was defaced on Thursday, Aug. 13, when spray paint reading “Clean hands dirty $” was applied to stonework and soap was poured into a fountain, producing heavy suds that staff removed.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that Melissa L. Farris of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, is in federal custody and has been charged with depredation of U.S. property and destruction of a veterans’ memorial, each count carrying up to 10 years in prison.
- Prosecutors cite witness photographs, a U.S. Park Ranger’s observation, surveillance images and videos the suspect posted to social media as the basis for the criminal complaint.
- Park crews cleaned and reopened the memorial by the morning after the incident and prosecutors estimate restoration and cleanup already exceeded $1,000 while the investigation and court processing continue.
- Veterans groups and preservation nonprofits condemned the defacement, President Trump publicly denounced the act, and the case arrives as federal prosecutors and the Interior Department face heightened public scrutiny over earlier damage at the nearby Reflecting Pool.