World War II Memorial in DC vandalized with red paint: ‘Clean hands dirty $’

Damage seen after vandals poured bubble soap and painted graffiti on the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC on August 13, 2026. (Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire)
Damage seen after vandals poured bubble soap and painted graffiti on the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC on August 13, 2026. (Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire)

The World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, was vandalized last night, with bubbles filling a fountain and “Clean hands dirty $” written in red paint.

The Interior Department released a statement late last night saying: “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.”

The Friends of the National World War II Memorial, a nonprofit organization that helps maintain the site, says: “There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement. A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars calls the vandalism “an act of profound disrespect, a slap in the face to the veterans who served and sacrificed and to the families who carried that burden at home.”

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