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Woman indicted in spray-paint vandalism of WWII Memorial
A Kentucky woman was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of defacing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., with pink spray paint and dumping bubble soap into its fountain.
A Kentucky woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was formally indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday. Melissa Farris faces two counts: destruction of a veterans’ memorial and destruction of government property, according to prosecutors.
Authorities allege Farris spray-painted the words «Clean hands, dirty money» in bright-pink paint on the memorial and poured bubble soap into the fountain at its center, causing it to overflow with foam. Federal prosecutors said cleanup and restoration costs have already exceeded $1,000.
Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on both charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said the charges carry penalties of up to ten years per count.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro condemned the act in a statement, calling it «a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom.» Pirro noted that her own father and grandfather served in World War II.
Farris turned herself in on Aug. 14, the day after the alleged vandalism. Before surrendering, she broadcast a Facebook Live video from outside the federal courthouse in which she admitted to the act. «It’s me. I am going to turn myself in,» she said in the video. «I was trying to get people to listen… I tried to reach the media, I tried to fight back. I tried to ignore it.»
In the video, Farris also described her living situation, saying she resided in a «paper-thin camper» that she «boarded up with cardboard in the winter to feel a little bit warmer.»
The incident drew national attention, including from President Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social that the vandalism was «no greater insult to those American heroes who died in World War II.» He also referenced a separate incident involving the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, writing, «First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail!»
The Reflecting Pool case took a different turn. Several people, including Olympic canoeist David Hearn, were arrested in June for allegedly vandalizing the newly renovated pool, but charges were dropped earlier this month. Prosecutors cited evidence suggesting the damage may have resulted from a botched renovation rather than intentional vandalism.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Aug. 16 that he «absolutely» supported Pirro’s decision to drop those charges, adding that President Trump also backed the move. Trump, however, later said he «disagrees 100%» with the decision.
The World War II Memorial, located on the National Mall, honors the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II. The case remains under review by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
