A 58-year-old woman believed to be homeless was arrested Monday after a number of national landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial and National Cathedral, were defaced with green paint. Jiamei Tian was charged with one count of defacing property.
Washington D.C. residents erupted in anger and outrage Friday after news broke that the storied Lincoln Memorial, which sits at the west end of the National Mall along the Potomac River, had been splattered with green paint along the statue's shoes, pant leg, and coat bottom.
The paint spill "appears intentional based off of the splatter," U.S. Park Police Capt. Steven Booker said Friday. The vandalism was reported around 1:00 am Eastern Time Friday.
Green paint was also found Friday near the national mall's Smithsonian Castle on a statue of Joseph Henry, the museum's first secretary, who died in the Castle more than a century ago. And two new cases were reported Monday at two chapels in the Washington National Cathedral.
A National Parks Service spokesperson said that crews have been able to remove 90% of the paint.
No motive has been reported.