The woman charged with vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall earlier this month—a move that resulted in strong criticism from President Donald Trump—claims her intention was to “get the nation’s attention.”
Melissa Farris, 41, stated in an interview that she spray-painted the memorial to protest an agreement between her former employer in Kentucky and her labor union, which she alleges diverted $6,000 in healthcare funds that should have been hers.
She explained that in 2024, she lost her job at a union that was involved in building an electric vehicle battery factory in Glendale, Kentucky, and that she had not received the funds indicated on a deposit notice that was shared with the newspaper.
“I feel robbed, and my friends do too,” she expressed in a Thursday interview. “I’m just trying to do what’s right.”
She added, “Veterans fought for people, not edifices or monuments. I honor them by striving to maintain our liberties and happiness here. Everyone can agree—people love to criticize. So, I made a spectacle to capture the nation’s attention.”
Farris was arrested two weeks prior after authorities claimed she live-streamed herself writing “Clean hands Dirty $” in orange spray paint on the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion of the memorial.
Wearing large orange sunglasses and carrying a sign for her protest, she is also accused of pouring dish soap into the memorial’s fountain.
According to a criminal complaint filed in court, before defacing the memorial, Farris broadcast a public video where she remarked:
I am fully aware of my actions, and I’m doing this to draw attention to my whistleblower case… Someone has to make different choices, and I’ll take responsibility for my actions. Today, I’m going to act, and I expect to be arrested… Our government must be accountable for its choices too.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted Farris on charges of vandalizing veterans’ memorials and destroying federal property. Each charge is a felony that could lead to a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to reports.
“In hindsight, I realize I was very naïve,” she said. “I thought Washington was where democracy is alive. It was disheartening to see the nation’s capital. I think I had too idealistic a view.”
After her arrest, Farris was released a few days later. However, she had to surrender her passport and was ordered to avoid the memorial.
Her driver’s license indicated an address in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, but she originally hails from northern Ohio, where she now resides.
As part of her conditions for release, a magistrate judge prohibited her from traveling outside northern Ohio and eastern Michigan, as reported.
Farris is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden in Washington, DC, for a hearing on Thursday.
Shortly before her arrest, President Trump posted on Truth Social, suggesting that those responsible for the vandalism in D.C. would be brought to justice.
He said,
“Our magnificent World War II Memorial was just vandalized. This is the ultimate disrespect to those American heroes of World War II. First, the Reflecting Pool, now this. We will find these offenders! Where do these people come from?”
Since her actions, Farris has received numerous aggressive messages online, including threats. Still, she remained defiant in her interview with the newspaper.
“I seem to have a knack for uniting people—for better or worse—because it transcends political lines,” she told the newspaper. “They can all dislike me, but I’m still going to share the truth.”
