US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, on Friday announced that a woman has been arrested and charged with two felony offenses related to the vandalism at the World War II Memorial in Washington.
Who is Melissa L. Farris? Jeanine Pirro calls out ‘despicable attack’
- Melissa Farris faces charges of depredation against US property and destruction of veterans’ memorials, as stated by Pirro on social media, who also noted that these charges could result in penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
- On Thursday, the World War II Memorial located on the National Mall was defaced with bubbly soap and graffiti, leading to commitments from the U.S. government to identify the individual responsible. The fountain overflowed with suds, and the phrase "Clean hands Dirty $" was inscribed on one surface, splattering the vicinity with red and green paint.
- In addition to her statement on X, Pirro shared images of a woman seemingly holding a can near the red paint on the memorial. “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 wrote on Friday.
- Pirro did not elaborate on the identity of the woman in custody nor disclose the origin of the images, which Reuters said it could not verify at this time.
- Pirro has recently incurred President Donald Trump’s ire by dismissing charges against four individuals accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool, which Trump had overseen renovations for.
Following these renovations, the condition of the pool quickly declined, exhibiting a peeling liner and algae growth. Pirro attributed this deterioration to improper installation when he decided to drop the vandalism charges.
Trump reacts
Trump remarked that Pirro had "folded like an umbrella."
{{/usCountry}}Trump remarked that Pirro had "folded like an umbrella."
{{/usCountry}}In a social media post on Friday, Trump seemed to associate the damage to the Reflecting Pool with the World War Two memorial, describing it as an affront to the Americans who lost their lives during the war.
“First the Reflecting Pool, now this,” the POTUS wrote. “We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???”
Interior Department's probe
The Interior Department initiated an investigation into the vandalism following the appearance of neon graffiti on the Atlantic Pavilion and the unusual overflow of soapy bubbles in the typically clear fountains on Thursday.
Law enforcement cordoned off the area on Thursday afternoon.
In a statement to CNN, the Interior Department referred to the situation as "an utter disgrace."
“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 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 department stated.