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US judge orders release of woman accused of vandalizing WWII Memorial
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A U.S. judge ordered the release of Melissa Farris, a 41-year-old Kentucky woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 13, 2026. Farris was charged with two felony counts after she spray-painted the memorial with the words 'Clean hands Dirty $' and caused the fountain to bubble with soap. She was released under conditions including surrendering her passport and not leaving the continental U.S. without court approval. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro criticized the release, and the Justice Department argued Farris was a flight risk. Farris stated on social media that the act was intended to protest U.S. tax spending and alleged corporate corruption. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 3. The article also notes Pirro's recent conflict with President Donald Trump over dropping charges in a separate vandalism case at the Reflecting Pool.
Source report
A U.S. judge on Monday ordered the release of a Kentucky woman charged with vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., last week, according to court records.
Melissa Farris, 41, was taken into custody last week and charged with two felony counts. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington, criticized the court’s decision to release her.
Court documents show that Farris agreed to conditions of her release, including surrendering her passport and remaining within the continental United States unless approved by the court.
The Justice Department urged a reconsideration of Monday’s order, stating that Farris posed “a risk of flight.”
The Incident
The World War II Memorial was vandalized on Thursday with bubbly soap and graffiti. The fountain overflowed with suds, and the words “Clean hands Dirty $” were painted on one surface. Red and green paint was also splattered across the area.
In videos previously posted to her Facebook account, Farris recorded herself spray-painting the memorial. She described herself on social media as a “pirate captain” who is “panhandling for America.”
Farris’s Motivation
In Facebook posts, Farris stated that she planned the August 13 action to draw attention to what she alleged were U.S. tax dollars not being spent on ordinary Americans, as well as corporate racketeering, embezzlement, and slave labor practices.
Legal Proceedings
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 3.
Context: Pirro and the Reflecting Pool Case
Pirro has recently drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for dropping charges against four individuals the Justice Department had accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool, following Trump’s oversight of renovations to the pool.
The pool’s condition subsequently deteriorated, with a peeling liner and algae blooms. When dropping the vandalism charges, Pirro attributed the deterioration to faulty installation. Trump responded by saying she had “folded like an umbrella.”
Image: Melissa Farris, the Kentucky woman charged with two felony counts in connection with the vandalism at the World War II Memorial on August 13, 2026, in this image obtained from social media. (Screenshot released by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro via Reuters)
Source
Navy TimesWestern
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Woman Charged with Felony Vandalism of WWII Memorial in Washington D.C.