Kentucky Woman Indicted on Federal Charges for Alleged Vandalism of WWII Memorial
Melissa Farris was indicted on two felony counts for allegedly spray-painting the World War II Memorial and contaminating its fountain, with cleanup costs exceeding $1,000.
A federal grand jury indicted Melissa Farris of Kentucky on Friday on two felony counts, including destruction of a veterans’ memorial and destruction of government property. Prosecutors say she spray-painted the words “Clean hands, dirty money” in bright pink on the World War II Memorial and poured bubble soap into its central fountain, causing damage that officials estimate has cost more than $1,000 to repair.
Farris posted a live video on Facebook before turning herself in on Aug. 14, acknowledging the alleged act and saying she was trying to draw attention to an issue. She later appeared at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and was taken into custody.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro described the incident as “a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom” and noted that the charges carry penalties of up to ten years in prison.
The case follows earlier incidents of vandalism on national monuments, including a June arrest of several individuals for alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, though those charges were later dropped.