(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Friday announced the arrest of a suspect who allegedly vandalized the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., saying in a post on social media that her office filed two felony charges against a woman, with a penalty of “up to ten years in prison.”
In the post, Pirro identified the suspect as Melissa L. Farris and said Farris is in custody. An attorney for Farris could not immediately be reached for comment.
“Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom,” Pirro wrote.
According to ABC affiliate WJLA, U.S. Park Police launched an investigation on Thursday after red paint was dumped onto the walls and floor of the Atlantic pavilion, and a substance poured into the fountain caused it to bubble.
A witness photographed a woman authorities later identified as Farris in the apparent act of spray painting the WWII Memorial on Thursday before Farris fled, according to the statement of facts filed in federal court.
When the witness passed the images on to law enforcement, a U.S. Park Police officer recognized Farris as someone they had arrested on Aug. 10 — just a few days prior — for unlawfully camping on federal property a few blocks from the WWII Memorial, according to the complaint.
Authorities found social media postings, including a livestream video before the alleged vandalism and another video where she allegedly admits to damaging the memorial and says she was surprised that no one immediately arrested her, according to the complaint.
“Why the [expletive] didn’t I get arrested? You don’t think that’s weird,” she said in the video, according to court records.
Farris is charged with depredation against property of the U.S. and destruction of a veterans’ memorial.
When asked for comment on the incident, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior said: “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.”
Friends of the World War II Memorial, a group dedicated to preserving the monument, called the vandalism “unacceptable.”
“There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement. A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism,” the group wrote in a statement.
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the incident on Thursday.
“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,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
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