World War II memorial in Washington vandalised with graffiti and bubble soap; investigation launched

The World War II memorial in Washington was vandalised with bubbly soap and graffiti on Thursday, prompting a strong response from the US government and an investigation to identify those responsible. The memorial's fountain was covered in suds, while the words ‘Clean hands Dirty $’ were painted on one surface. Red and green paint was also splattered across the area. Uniformed police officers and National Guard troops quickly arrived at the memorial, which was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape as visitors were kept away. Reuters photographs showed a plainclothes investigator examining the graffiti and using a tape measure to assess the damage.

Workers later arrived to clean up the vandalism and remove the graffiti, the Washington Post reported, citing Park Police officers at the scene. Dedicated in 2004, the World War II memorial stands on the National Mall and features 56 granite pillars surrounding an elliptical plaza. According to the National Park Service, the memorial honours the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II and commemorates the more than 400,000 Americans who died during the conflict.

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"The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated," the Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, said in a statement. “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 WWII Memorial, a nonprofit organisation committed to preserving the site, also condemned the incident and described the memorial as a "sacred place of remembrance."

"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 Friends said in a statement. The World War II memorial has long represented a point of national pride and remembrance in the United States. The country's role in the conflict remains broadly associated with national unity, although Americans continue to debate some of the war's most consequential decisions, including the use of atomic bombs against Japan.

The latest vandalism comes at a politically divisive moment in Washington, as President Donald Trump has launched a personal campaign focused on changing or reshaping several memorials across the US capital.