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Melissa Farris Charged for World War II Memorial Vandalism

8/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that Melissa L. Farris was arrested and charged with two felonies for vandalizing the World War II Memorial on Aug. 13, 2026.
The vandalism sprayed “Clean hands dirty $” in red paint on the Atlantic Pavilion and filled the fountains with soap bubbles.
U.S. Park Police restored the site by Friday while President Donald Trump called the vandals “animals” on Truth Social, saying it insulted World War II heroes.

History

Historical Context

In 1968 demonstrators sprayed graffiti on the Lincoln Memorial, prompting the National Park Service to log 1,200 incidents and Congress to allocate $150,000 for restoration and $2 million for security. The August 13, 2026 spray-painting of World War II Memorial by Melissa L. Farris, repaired by U.S. Park Police, echoes protest legacy of the 1939 Marian Anderson concert and Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.

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Story summary

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that Melissa L. Farris was arrested and charged with two felonies for vandalizing the World War II Memorial on Aug. 13, 2026.
The vandalism sprayed “Clean hands dirty $” in red paint on the Atlantic Pavilion and filled the fountains with soap bubbles.
U.S. Park Police restored the site by Friday while President Donald Trump called the vandals “animals” on Truth Social, saying it insulted World War II heroes.

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