The Second World War Memorial in Washington DC was vandalised on Thursday with bubbly soap and graffiti. The fountain at the memorial was filled with suds, and "Clean hands Dirty $" was painted on a surface, splattering the area with red and green paint.
Uniformed police and national guard troops cordoned off the scene, keeping visitors away. Workers later arrived to remove the graffiti, according to reports citing Park Police officers.
The US Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, stated the vandalism was "an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated." The department added that US Park Police are investigating and that "we will find the person responsible for this disgusting act."
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial, a non-profit group, called the act "unacceptable," describing the memorial as a "sacred place of remembrance." They stated that a national memorial should not be used "as a canvas for vandalism."