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🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

US World War Two memorial vandalized with soap, graffiti, government vows to find perpetrator

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The World War Two Memorial in Washington D.C. was vandalized with soap and graffiti.
  • The graffiti read "Clean hands Dirty $" and was accompanied by red and green paint splatters.
  • Government officials vowed to find the perpetrator, calling the act a disgrace, while a nonprofit preservation group deemed it unacceptable.

The World War Two Memorial in Washington D.C. became the target of vandalism on Thursday, with the fountain filled with bubbly soap and graffiti scrawled on one of its surfaces. The message painted read "Clean hands Dirty $" alongside splatters of red and green paint.

The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated.

— Interior Department statementThe Interior Department condemned the vandalism and vowed to find the perpetrator.

Law enforcement, including uniformed police and National Guard troops, cordoned off the area. Investigators were seen measuring the damage, and workers began the process of removing the graffiti. The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, issued a strong statement condemning the act. "The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated," the department said, adding that the investigation is ongoing and the responsible individual will be found.

Our US 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.

— Interior Department statementThe Interior Department assured the public that an investigation is underway.

The Friends of the National WWII Memorial, a nonprofit dedicated to the site's preservation, called the vandalism "unacceptable." The group emphasized that the memorial is a "sacred place of remembrance" and not a canvas for expression. The incident occurs amid a broader context of debates surrounding memorials in Washington, though the US role in World War Two remains a point of national pride for many.

The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated.

— Friends of the National WWII Memorial statementThe nonprofit group called the vandalism unacceptable.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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