US judge orders release of woman accused of vandalism at World War II memorial

WASHINGTON – A US judge ordered on Aug 17 the release of a Kentucky woman who was accused of vandalism at the World War II Memorial in Washington last week, court records showed.

US attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington, criticised the order that led to the release of the woman, Melissa Farris, 41, who was taken into custody last week and charged with two felony counts.

Court documents showed Farris agreed to conditions of her release, including surrendering her passport and not leaving the continental US unless approved by the court.

The Justice Department urged a reconsideration of the Aug 17 order and said the woman was “a risk of flight”.

The World War II Memorial was vandalised with bubbly soap and graffiti on Aug 13. The fountain bubbled over with suds and the words “Clean hands Dirty $” were painted on one surface, splattering the area with red and green paint.

The vandalised memorial in Washington, DC. PHOTO: REUTERS

In earlier videos 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”.

In Facebook posts, Farris had said she was planning the Aug 13 action to draw attention to US tax dollars not being spent on ordinary Americans and to what she alleged were corporate racketeering, embezzlement and slave labour practices, among other issues.

A preliminary hearing is set for Sept 3.

Pirro has recently drawn President Donald Trump’s anger for dropping charges against four people the Justice Department had accused of vandalising the Reflecting Pool after Trump oversaw renovations of the pool.

The pool’s condition soon deteriorated, with a peeling liner and algae blooms.

When dropping the vandalism charges, Pirro blamed the deterioration on faulty installation. Trump said she had “folded like an umbrella”. REUTERS