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

Aug 14 - A woman has been taken into custody and charged with two felony counts in connection with the vandalism of the World War Two memorial in Washington, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said on Friday.

Melissa Farris was charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans memorials, Pirro said on social media, adding that the offenses carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.

The World War Two memorial was vandalized with bubbly soap and graffiti on Thursday, prompting vows from the U.S. government to find the perpetrator. The fountain at the site bubbled over with suds and someone painted "Clean hands Dirty $" on one surface, splattering the area with red and green paint.

Along with her statement on X, Pirro posted photos of a woman who appears to be holding a can close to the red paint on the memorial.

Pirro did not provide more details or provide the source of the images, which Reuters was not immediately able to verify.

Pirro's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Farris could not be immediately reached for comment. REUTERS