The woman accused of defacing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., has been formally indicted, according to new reports. Melissa Farris faces two charges: one for damaging a veterans’ memorial and another for destroying government property.
Authorities allege that the Kentucky resident spray-painted “Clean hands, dirty money” in bright pink on the memorial and added bubble soap to the fountain at its center. The cleanup costs are said to exceed $1,000.
Before her arrest on August 14, Farris livestreamed on Facebook, admitting to the vandalism she had committed the day prior. In the stream, she stated, “It’s me. I am going to turn myself in. I’m outside district federal court. I am just trying to do the right thing. … I was trying to get people to listen. … I tried to reach the media. I tried to fight back. I tried to ignore it.”
Farris also mentioned living in a camper that she insulated with cardboard during the winter months to stay warm.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, condemned the vandalism, describing it as a “despicable attack” on a monument honoring those who fought for American freedom. She also mentioned that both her father and grandfather served. The charges against Farris carry a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison.
President Donald Trump also reacted to the vandalism, labeling it a significant insult to World War II veterans and criticizing the situation surrounding significant areas like the Reflecting Pool and other landmarks.
Interestingly, in June, several individuals, including Olympic athlete David Hearn, faced arrest for allegedly vandalizing the refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, but those charges have since been dropped.
Amidst this context, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed support for Pirro’s decision regarding the dropped charges in that earlier case, though Trump has publicly disagreed with her approach.
