Woman charged over vandalism of Washington's World War Two memorial

A Kentucky woman, Melissa Farris, faces two felony counts for vandalizing the World War Two memorial in Washington, DC, on Thursday. She allegedly filled the fountain with soap and painted graffiti, including the words "Clean hands Dirty $". US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the charges on Friday. Farris recorded herself spray painting the memorial and posted videos on Facebook, describing herself as a "pirate captain" panhandling for America. She was recognized by an officer who had arrested her three days earlier for unlawful camping.

A Kentucky woman, Melissa Farris, has been charged with two felony counts in connection with the vandalism of the World War Two memorial in Washington, DC, on Thursday. US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, announced the charges on Friday, stating that each count carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The memorial's fountain was filled with bubbly soap, and the words "Clean hands Dirty $" were painted on a surface, with red and green paint splattered around. Farris recorded herself spray painting the memorial and posted the videos on her Facebook account, where she describes herself as a "pirate captain" who is "panhandling for America." In the videos, she asks why she has not been arrested. The criminal complaint quotes her as saying, "Someone has to make choices that are different, and I am accountable for my actions... Our government needs to be accountable for their choices too." A witness photo of Farris spray painting was circulated among US Park Police, and an officer recognized her from an arrest three days earlier for unlawful camping. A white sign with matching paint was found in a nearby trash can. President Donald Trump condemned the incident, linking it to the Reflecting Pool damage and calling it an insult to Americans who died in the conflict.