A woman has been indicted on two felony counts after allegedly leaving a message in spray paint on a newly-renovated World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Melissa Farris, of Kentucky, is accused of spray painting the words "Clean hands dirty $" on the landmark and filling a fountain with bubbles on Aug. 13.
She was indicted Thursday on charges of destroying the veterans' memorial and destroying government property and is scheduled to be arraigned next week, according to the Department of Justice.
Federal authorities pledged to track down the culprit after the landmark was targeted with graffiti and foaming soap.
U.S. Park Police were called to the monument at around 2 p.m. for a report of a disorderly person. A witness told officers that they saw a woman spray painting graffiti on the World War II Memorial.
A park ranger noted seeing multiple people gathered around the balcony watching a woman shooting video of herself. The woman left when she noticed the ranger, according to the DOJ.
One witness took a photo of the woman defacing the memorial and an officer recognized her as someone police arrested days earlier, on August 10, for unlawfully camping on federal property a few blocks away from the World War II Memorial, a DOJ news release said.
Prosecutors allege that Farris recorded multiple livestream videos on Aug. 13 and admitted to damaging the World War II Memorial.
In one video, she allegedly said, “I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom ... someone has to make choices that are different and I am accountable for my actions. I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom, and I will wait to be arrested ... I am accountable for the things that I do and the choices that I make and our government needs to be accountable for their choices too.”
Trump condemned the damage to the war memorial, writing on Truth Social at the time, "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.”
He added, "First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???"
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial said it was "deeply disturbed” by the vandalism, adding that "whatever the intent, defacing a place dedicated to the service and sacrifice of the World War II generation is unacceptable.”
Authorities previously charged a former Olympian in late July with intentionally damaging the Reflecting Pool.
However, the Justice Department subsequently moved to dismiss the charges, stating that evidence received by prosecutors refuted claims of vandalism.
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