Female Suspect in WWII Memorial Defacement Arrested, Jeanine Pirro Announces Felony Charges
A woman was arrested for vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Melissa L. Farris faces two felony charges-Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials-and may face up to ten years in prison. The incident involved spray painting and graffiti, including phrases like “Clean hands Dirty $” and splashes of red and green paint, disfiguring the memorial. Authorities and organizations, such as the Department of the Interior and the Friends of the National WWII Memorial, condemned the act, calling it a disgrace and emphasizing the memorial’s sacred importance. The vandalism prompted protests and outrage from public figures, including former President Donald Trump, who expressed outrage over the attack on the monument commemorating Americans who fought and died during World War II. The memorial, dedicated in 2004 and honoring over 400,000 fallen Americans and 16 million service members, remains under inquiry by U.S. Park Police.
A woman has been arrested in connection with Thursday’s vandalism of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced Friday that Melissa L. Farris is facing two felony charges, according to Fox News.
“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,” Pirro posted on X.
“This morning, we are filing two felony charges, Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials, in Federal District Court against Melissa L. Farris, offenses that carry penalties of up to ten years in prison. She is now in custody,” Pirro wrote.
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
President Donald Trump had posted his outrage at the vandalism on .
“Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals. THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II. First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???” he wrote.
Bubbly soap and graffiti disfigured the memorial, which was closed while workers began the process of removing the graffiti, according to Reuters.
“Clean hands Dirty $” was painted in red on one surface.
Elsewhere, red and green paint was splashed on the memorial.
The memorial, which was dedicated in 2004, has 56 granite pillars around its edge.
The memorial honors the 400,000 Americans who were killed to bring freedom to Europe and Asia, and the 16 million who served in the armed forces during the war.
The Friends of the National WWII Memorial, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the memorial, called the vandalism “unacceptable,” saying the memorial was a “sacred place of remembrance.”
“There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement. A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism,” the organization said in a statement.
The Department of the Interior called the vandalism an “utter disgrace,” according to WRC-TV.
“The World War II Memorial is a sacred place to honor the service of our members of the Armed Forces and the over 400,000 Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in WWII,” the statement said.
“The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated. Our U.S. Park Police are on the scene and the investigation is ongoing. The public should know we will find the person responsible for this disgusting act,” the statement said.
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