Accused WWII Memorial vandal granted pretrial release after court appearance

A 41-year-old woman who was charged with vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall made her first court appearance Monday, where she was granted pretrial release.

What we know: The suspect, identified by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro as Melissa L. Farris, is accused of vandalizing the monument with red paint and bubbles in the fountain. She surrendered herself to law enforcement following the vandalism.

Following her court appearance, she will return to the Toledo, Ohio, area, where her daughter resides, court officials said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office filed two felony charges against Farris: Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans' Memorials.

If convicted, Farris could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, along with three years of probation.

She is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in D.C. on September 3.

U.S. Park Police responded to the scene after the vandalism was discovered. Investigators found bubbles filling a fountain at the monument, along with the phrase "Clean hands dirty $" written in red paint.

U.S. Attorney Pirro condemned the incident on X, calling it "a despicable attack on a sacred monument."

President Donald Trump also addressed the incident on Truth Social, describing the perpetrators as "Spray Painting Vandals" and calling the act a grave insult to Americans who lost their lives in World War II.

Friends of the National World War II Memorial said that national memorials should never serve as a canvas for vandalism, emphasizing that there are numerous other places for public expression and debate. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) called the vandalism "a slap in the face" to veterans and their families.