politics
Feds charge woman for allegedly vandalizing World War II Memorial in D.C.
Updated on: August 14, 2026 / 3:02 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Melissa Farris, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, faces two felony charges for allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial.
- Farris allegedly spray-painted the memorial, filling fountains with bubbles and defacing a wall with graffiti reading 'Clean Hands Dirty $'.
- She reportedly livestreamed her actions on Facebook, admitting to the vandalism and identifying herself as a whistleblower.
- Farris was previously arrested this month for unlawfully camping on federal property near the memorial.
- Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison.
- The vandalism occurred during a period of heightened security and ongoing renovations on the National Mall.