2 climate change activists charged for dumping red powder on National Archives display - WJLA
2 climate change activists charged for dumping red powder on National Archives display
WASHINGTON (7News) — Two environmental activists were charged in an indictment Friday after they dumped red powder on the U.S. Constitution display case in D.C.'s National Archives building, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Donald Zepeda, 35, of Maryland, and Jackson Green, 27, of Utah were charged with felony destruction of government property for dumping the powder on February 14, which according to an AP article, took several days to clean up.
According to the indictment, the cost of cleaning up the stunt has already exceeded $50,000 and the climate change protest caused the Rotunda to be closed for four days.
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According to officials, Green was also charged in a previous act of vandalism that occurred at the National Gallery of Art on November 14, 2023. As a result, he had been ordered by a judge to stay away from the District and all museums or public monuments.
On February 22, Green was arrested for violating the conditions of his release, according to officials. Both incidents were recorded and shared online.
Zepeda was on his way to North Carolina when he was arrested on February 28, officials said.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”