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A woman has been taken into custody for allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, on Friday.
Melissa L. Farris faces two felony charges in federal court, Pirro revealed via social media. While formal charging documents have not yet been released, authorities confirmed that Farris is currently in custody.
In a statement, Pirro condemned the act, calling it a “despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom,” noting that the memorial holds personal significance for her family, including her father and grandfather.
The incident occurred Thursday when bubbles were found filling the memorial’s fountain alongside graffiti that appeared to read, “Clean hands dirty $.”
This arrest follows a separate high-profile case involving former Olympic canoeist David “Davey” Hearn, whose charges related to an incident at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were recently dropped by Pirro’s office-a decision that sparked criticism from former President Donald Trump.
Officials clarified that damage to the Reflecting Pool was attributed to “flawed installation,” and although a judge dismissed charges against Hearn, a ruling on whether Pirro’s office can file future charges against him has yet to be made.