WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal prosecutors charged a woman Friday with two felonies after she was accused of vandalizing the National World War II Memorial with spray paint and filling its fountain with soap bubbles.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro identified the suspect as Melissa L. Farris and said she was taken into custody. Farris faces charges of depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials, offenses that can carry prison terms of up to 10 years.
The vandalism was discovered Thursday. Red and green paint was splattered across part of the memorial, with the words “Clean hands Dirty $” written on one surface, while soap caused the fountain to overflow with bubbles. The U.S. Park Police and Interior Department opened an investigation.
Pirro posted photographs that appeared to show a woman holding a spray can near the damaged area, though Reuters said it could not independently verify the images. Farris was expected to be arraigned Friday, and the charges remain allegations unless proven in court.
President Donald Trump condemned the vandalism and linked it rhetorically to the nearby Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool controversy. That earlier case ended very differently: Pirro’s office dropped vandalism charges after evidence showed faulty renovation work, rather than vandals, caused much of the pool’s damage.
The World War II Memorial honors the roughly 16 million Americans who served in the war and more than 400,000 who died.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
