A woman is suspected of vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said. The memorial was found spray painted Thursday, and bubbles overflowed from a fountain.
Melissa L. Farris is in custody, Pirro said in a brief statement Friday morning.
“Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom. Those Americans include my father and grandfather,” she said.
“This morning, we are filing two felony charges, Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials, in Federal District Court against Melissa L. Farris, offenses that carry penalties of up to ten years in prison,” Pirro continued.
Images show a woman wearing sunglasses looking at a camera head-on, and a woman standing near spray painted words on the memorial.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Farris has an attorney. No information was immediately released on where Farris was arrested, when she could appear in court or whether anyone else could face charges.
“Clean hands, dirty money,” letters in bright spray paint said. Before police cordoned off the area, people batted around clouds of bubbles.
The Department of the Interior called the vandalism an “utter disgrace.”
The World War II Memorial has been shut down since Thursday afternoon after what appear to be the words “clean hands, dirty money” were written in large, colorful letters on the memorial, which is dedicated to the more than 400,000 Americans who were killed in the Second World War. News4’s Joseph Olmo reports.
“The World War II Memorial is a sacred place to honor the service of our members of the Armed Forces and the over 400,000 Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in WWII,” they said in a statement. “The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated. Our U.S. Park Police are on the scene and the investigation is ongoing. The public should know we will find the person responsible for this disgusting act.”
“There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement,” said a nonprofit that preserves the memorial. “A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism.”
Farris faces felony charges after Pirro’s office dropped a felony charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who initially was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
President Donald Trump slammed Pirro for dropping the charge, saying she “choked” and “folded like an umbrella.”
Trump weighed in on the vandalism in a Truth Social post Friday morning and referenced the Reflecting Pool.
“Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals. THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II. First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???” the post said.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
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