A woman has been arrested and faces two felony charges after authorities say she vandalized the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro identified the woman as Melissa L. Farris and said she was taken into custody on Friday.
Pirro said Farris is charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials.
“Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom,” Pirro said in a post on X.
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.
This morning, we are filing two felony charges, Depredation Against Property of the… pic.twitter.com/7EQxGWtdue
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) August 14, 2026
According to the indictment, Farris could face up to 10 years in prison.
World War II Memorial Vandalized
The incident happened Thursday at the memorial on the National Mall, between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
Authorities said the fountains were filled with soap, creating large amounts of foam, while walls and other portions of the memorial were covered in graffiti.
One message written in neon orange paint read, “Clean Hands Dirty $.”
Pink and green graffiti was also reported at the site.
The U.S. Park Police began investigating after receiving a report of a disorderly person disrupting visitors at about 2 p.m. Thursday, according to the indictment.
A witness reportedly told authorities they saw a woman spray-painting the memorial. A ranger who responded saw foam in a fountain and observed the suspect fleeing, according to the charging document.
Authorities also received a photograph from a witness that allegedly showed Farris spray-painting the memorial.
An officer reportedly recognized Farris from an earlier arrest involving allegations that she had unlawfully camped on federal property.
Suspect Allegedly Livestreamed After Incident
The indictment says Farris, who is from Kentucky, later recorded a livestream video in which she allegedly acknowledged defacing federal property.
The charging document quotes Farris as saying she had been “allowed to deface Federal” property and questioned why no one intervened, CNN reported.
She allegedly added that the government needed to be accountable for its choices.
A preliminary estimate puts the cost of cleaning and restoring the memorial at more than $1,000, according to the indictment.
Court records detailing the case were not immediately available in the initial reports, and it was not immediately clear whether Farris has an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
Memorial Cleanup Underway
The vandalism prompted authorities to restrict access to portions of the memorial Thursday afternoon.
National Park Service personnel were seen removing the graffiti, and the paint and soap were gone by Friday morning.
The Department of the Interior called the vandalism “an utter disgrace” and said the memorial is a sacred place honoring members of the armed forces and the more than 400,000 Americans who died during World War II, according to CNN.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars also called for accountability and a swift restoration of the memorial.
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial, which works to preserve the site, said a national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should not be used as a canvas for vandalism.
President Donald Trump also condemned the incident, calling it an insult to the Americans who died during World War II.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Provided by Dallas Express
