Climate Activists Splash Pink Powder on US Constitution Case, Reports Reuters

By Jonathan Allen

Two climate change activists appeared in court on Thursday after throwing pink powder on glass cases housing the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives Museum in Washington. This incident was confirmed by the U.S. attorney’s office and court records.

The Constitution, a significant historical document written on four sheets of parchment in 1787, was unharmed thanks to its protective display case, according to the National Archives.

Donald Zepeda and Jackson Green were arrested on Wednesday afternoon for what the National Archives deemed an act of vandalism. They reportedly released balloons filled with magenta pink tempera paint powder over the display, as stated in a court filing by a special agent from the archive’s inspector general’s office.

The museum’s rotunda was closed for cleaning on Thursday, resulting in a financial impact of $15,780.62 to the government, as noted in the D.C. Superior Court filing. It will also be closed on Friday.

Footage shared on social media captured the two men standing beside the powder-covered display cases in the grand rotunda, with their hands and clothing stained pink. They expressed to onlookers that everyone has the right to clean air and a livable climate, urging U.S. President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency before being detained by museum security.

They face charges of defacing and destruction of public property under local law, with potential penalties of up to 180 days in prison. It remains uncertain if they may face more serious federal charges related to government property destruction.

One of the activists indicated their involvement in the Declare Emergency campaign, which utilizes civil resistance methods to prompt the U.S. government to take urgent action on climate change.

The campaign had not immediately responded to inquiries but shared videos of the incident on social media, stating: “We the people will not stand for corporate greed and climate destruction.”

In recent years, climate activists have targeted prominent artworks and cultural artifacts to highlight their causes. For instance, in 2022, an activist threw cake at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and a few months later, two activists splashed soup on the protective case of Van Gogh’s Fifteen Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London, causing minor damage.

The National Archives has indicated that the rotunda and the Constitution display will reopen shortly.

“We take such vandalism very seriously and we will insist that the perpetrators be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” stated Colleen Shogan, the Archivist of the United States.

Neither activist was immediately available for comment, and it was unclear whether they had legal representation. They are scheduled to return to court on March 20 and have been ordered not to return to the National Archives in the meantime.