WWII Memorial in DC Closed Down After Being Targeted by Vandalism
The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was vandalized wiht soap bubbles and graffiti featuring the phrase “Clean hands Dirty $.” The incident involved soap causing bubbles in the fountain and graffiti painted in red and green on the memorial’s surface. The memorial, dedicated in 2004 to honor over 400,000 Americans who died and 16 million who served during WWII, was temporarily closed for cleanup. Organizations such as the Friends of the National WWII Memorial condemned the act as unacceptable and disrespectful, emphasizing its sacred status. The Department of the Interior and military veterans also condemned the vandalism, calling it a disgrace and an insult to veterans and their families. The incident prompted a police investigation. The memorial had previously been vandalized in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was vandalized on Thursday.
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 World War II Memorial was vandalized with soap in the fountain and graffiti on the memorial itself.
7News obtained a photo of paint graffiti, which appears to read “Clean hands / Dirty $.” Meanwhile, the fountains are filled with bubbles formed from the soap.#wjla… pic.twitter.com/fq826ADzh2
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) August 13, 2026
The memorial honors the 400,000 Americans who were killed to bring freedom in World War II and the 16 million who served in the armed forces at the time.
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 Friends said in a statement.
The Department of the Interior said the incident was 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 agency added.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars called defacing the memorial “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,” according to the Associated Press.
An Army veteran who had come to visit the memorial d her disgust with Fox News.
“It just makes me absolutely irate,” Debra Mortensen said. “I was offended because people fought and died for our country, and it’s dishonoring our country and all we’ve been through.”
The memorial was vandalized in 2016 as part of the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
At that time, the North Dakota area of the memorial was spray-painted with “#NoDAPL.”
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