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Arrest made in World War II Memorial vandalism: 'Despicable'

YouTube video by Tom Powell Jr

A Kentucky woman, Melissa Farris, has been indicted on two federal felony charges for damaging the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The indictment alleges she deliberately spray-painted the monument with the words 'Clean hands dirty $' and filled a fountain with bubbles on August 13. Farris, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was released after her initial court appearance on August 17. The case has drawn attention due to President Donald Trump's public criticism of vandalism at historic sites, including his recent social media posts linking the incident to previous damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Authorities previously charged a former Olympian with damaging the Reflecting Pool, but those charges were dismissed after evidence contradicted claims of vandalism. The indictment highlights ongoing concerns about the protection of national monuments and the legal consequences for acts of deliberate destruction. Farris is scheduled for arraignment next week, marking a significant step in the federal prosecution of her actions.

Trump blamed vandals for dead grass on the National Mall in the exact spot where his July 4 celebration stage and crowds stood weeks earlier.