Activists Sentenced for Vandalism at National Archives

Two climate activists, Donald Zepeda and Jackson Green, were sentenced for their February 2024 vandalism of the National Archives, where they dumped red powder on the display case of the U.S. Constitution. Zepeda received a two-year prison sentence, while Green was sentenced to 18 months. Both activists pleaded guilty to felony destruction of government property, resulting in over $58,000 in clean-up costs and a four-day closure of the museum. The group Declare Emergency, to which they belong, stated that their actions aimed to raise awareness about the climate crisis, despite the absence of damage to the Constitution itself. Following their sentencing, both were ordered to pay restitution and perform community service, with Zepeda defending his actions as necessary to provoke a response to the climate emergency. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson criticized their approach as ineffective and disconnected from meaningful activism.