Man arrested after vandalizing Washington Monument with graffiti

Police say a man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing the base of the Washington Monument with red paint early Tuesday night. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
Police say a man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing the base of the Washington Monument with red paint early Tuesday night. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
Police say a man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing the base of the Washington Monument with red paint early Tuesday night. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
Police say a man is in custody after he allegedly vandalized the base of the Washington Monument with paint early Tuesday night.
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Police say a man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing the base of the Washington Monument with red paint early Tuesday night.

U.S. Park Police said the suspect was taken into custody at around 8 p.m. and the base of the monument has been temporarily closed.

In photos distributed on social media, the graffiti painted at the base of the monument reads, “Have you been f**ked by this / Gov says tough sh*t.”

Police have not said whether the suspect had been acting alone.

USPP said National Park Service conservators will take charge in the restoration.



Mike Litterst, spokesman for the National Park Service, told WTOP it could take two to three weeks before the paint is completely removed. Because marble is porous and could have absorbed more of the paint, multiple treatments will be applied during the restoration process.

In a tweet, the National Park Service said its team plans to start the cleanup process “first thing in the morning.” Litterst said daily operations around the monument should not be impacted, but the area around the base of the monument will be closed off during the restoration process.

Juan Herrera

Juan Herrera is an associate producer for WTOP News. He joined the radio news team in 2021 after previously working for WMAL News as a news assistant. He is a graduate of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Joshua Barlow

Joshua Barlow is a writer, composer, and producer who has worked for CGTN, Atlantic Public Media, and National Public Radio. He lives in Northeast Washington, D.C., where he pays attention to developments in his neighborhood, economic issues, and social justice.

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