Climate Activists Sentenced for Vandalism at National Archives

Donald Zepeda, a climate change activist, has been sentenced to two years in prison for dumping red powder on the display case of the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives, an act aimed at raising awareness about climate change. His co-defendant, Jackson Green, received an 18-month sentence for the same incident, which resulted in over $58,000 in cleanup costs and caused the Archives to close for four days. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson criticized the act as unproductive eco-vandalism that only alienates potential supporters of climate activism. The Constitution was unharmed, but the act frightened visitors who mistook the powder for a potential chemical attack. Prosecutors argued for a longer sentence for Zepeda due to his history of similar protests, including a 2017 oil facility burglary and other disruptive actions. Both activists were charged with felony destruction of government property for their stunt, which they claimed was intended to provoke action on climate issues.