The National Park Service is working to clean the steps of the Lincoln Memorial after vandals splattered red paint on the ground and scrawled the words ‘Free Gaza’ in several places Wednesday morning.
United States Park Police discovered the paint and graffiti in the area of Lincoln Memorial Circle and the Reflecting Pool. National Park Service conservators began the process of removing the paint almost immediately after it was discovered. Officials say it may take multiple treatments over several days to remove it all.
The steps on the west side of the Reflecting Pool are closed to visitors while the cleanup takes place. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the United States Park Police tip line at (202)379-4877 or e-mail [email protected].
In September 2022, the Washington Monument was defaced with paint and vulgar messages. In June 2020, National Park Service crews cleaned graffiti from monuments and memorials around the D.C. region after they were vandalized by protesters.
