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Two activists, Donald Zepeda, 35, of Maryland, and Jackson Green, 27, of Utah, are facing felony charges for defacing the US Constitution display at the National Archives with red powder.

The Department of Justice announced the charges, highlighting the significant cleanup costs and disruption caused by the incident. According to the DOJ, The activists’ actions, aimed at drawing attention to climate change, have led to a felony destruction of government property charge, with the indictment detailing the extent of the vandalism and its aftermath.

The cleanup effort following the protest exceeded $50,000 and necessitated the closure of the Archives’ rotunda for several days. Workers were seen meticulously cleaning the pinkish-red powder from the document’s protective housing, avoiding water or liquids due to uncertainty about the powder’s composition. A conservator expressed relief that the color did not penetrate the casing, leaving the historic document undamaged. The powder, a blend of coloring and cornstarch, proved challenging to remove, requiring extensive manual labor.

This is not Green’s first encounter with the law regarding vandalism; he was previously charged with a similar act at the National Gallery of Art. Both men have publicly expressed their commitment to environmental activism, with one declaring in a social media video their determination to “foment a rebellion” for the sake of clean air, water, food, and a livable climate. v