A woman was arrested on Friday morning in connection with the vandalization of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced mid-morning that a suspect, identified as Melissa L. Farris, was in custody and faced two felony charges filed in Federal District Court: Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials.
Woman Arrested on Federal Charges After Vandalism at National Mall Memorial
The offenses carry penalties of up to ten years in prison. Pirro shared images on X showing a middle-aged woman, including one depicting her with what appeared to be a can of spray-paint at the scene. The site had been targeted when red paint was used to scrawl the words Clean hands dirty $
and the fountain was polluted with soapy bubbles, according to the U.S. Interior Department and the U.S. Park Police. Mountains of white suds appeared in and around the fountain near the Atlantic Arch following the incident, which occurred on Thursday.
President Trump and Federal Officials Condemn the Act
President Donald Trump lashed out at the individuals responsible in a post on Truth Social, calling the spray painting of the memorial the latest in a series of vandalism acts at the National Mall and referring to the perpetrators as “animals.”
THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II,
Trump said in his post. The Department of the Interior also issued a sharp condemnation, stating that the vandalism was an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated.
The agency emphasized that the landmark honors the armed forces and the more than 400,000 Americans who died fighting in World War II, out of 16 million who served.
Meanwhile, Pirro stated that vandalizing the memorial was a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring Americans who fought and died for freedom, noting that her own father and grandfather were among those who served. By Friday morning, the venue had been cleaned up and reopened to the public.
Reactions From Veterans Organizations and Visitors
Organizations dedicated to military service and veterans expressed outrage over the incident. The Friends of the National World War II Memorial, a nonprofit organization that helps maintain the site, issued a statement declaring that national monuments should never be used as canvases for political expression or vandalism.
There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement,
the organization stated. A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars similarly condemned the incident, calling it an act of profound disrespect, a slap in the face to the veterans who served and sacrificed and to the families who carried that burden at home.
Visitors to the National Mall also expressed dismay.
Broader Context of Vandalism and Monument Security on the Mall
The incident at the World War II Memorial follows several other recent episodes involving prominent monuments and grounds in the nation’s capital. In June, separate red markings of “8647,” a political slogan and protest symbol used against President Donald Trump, were found on the Washington Monument and the National Mall grass.
The war memorial itself is situated on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The reflecting pool has faced its own recent controversies, including a contentious upgrade effort ordered by Trump ahead of Fourth of July celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. That project became mired in dispute after new surfacing separated and green algae returned, prompting Trump to blame vandals. However, subsequent prosecutions—including a case against a former Olympian—collapsed after prosecutors determined the damage stemmed from flawed contractor installation rather than vandalism.
