Friends of the memorial call defacement ‘unacceptable’ after recent renovation
The Department of the Interior said Thursday that a section of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was vandalized with red graffiti and soapy bubbles.
U.S. Park Police were on the scene and the investigation was ongoing, according to a statement from the Interior Department. “The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated,” the statement said. “Our U.S. Park Police are on the scene and the investigation is ongoing. The public should know we will find the person responsible for this disgusting act.”
The graffiti spelled “Clean hands diary $,” UPI reported, and red and green paint was thrown on granite stonework. The bubbles were in and around the memorial’s fountain.
The nonprofit Friends of the National World War II Memorial, which is dedicated to preserving the memorial, said it was “deeply disturbed” by the incident.
“Whatever the intent, defacing a place dedicated to the service and sacrifice of the World War II generation is unacceptable,” the organization said in a statement. “A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism.”
The memorial draws around 5 million visitors each year.
The site underwent a nearly $4 million renovation, which was completed in May. It had been closed for several months while aging infrastructure was updated and other repairs were made. The upgrades included new lighting in the fountain and the replacement of in-ground pillar lighting.