US Constitution Undamaged After Climate Activists Dump Red Powder on Case

Royce C. Lamberth, acting chief judge of the District Court for the District of Columbia, speaks after giving the oath of allegiance to new citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives Rotunda in Washington, on Dec. 15, 2005. Tim Sloan/AFP via Getty Images

The National Archives in Washington closed its Rotunda and galleries to the public on Feb. 14 after two individuals dumped red powder on the encasement that protects the U.S. Constitution.

The two men were immediately detained by security personnel, according to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). D.C. police arrested the men for destruction of federal property.

There was no damage to the document, which is on permanent display as part of the “Charters of Freedom” exhibit.

Video footage of the incident was shared online. It shows the two men covered in red powder as they stood in front of the Constitution’s display case, which was also covered in red dust.

One of the men picks up a handful of the red powder and rubs it between his hands, while the other man tells fellow visitors, “We will not be held accountable for a loss in which we have no voice or representation.”

“This country was founded on the conditions that all men are created equally, and endowed with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” the other man chimes in. “We’re calling for all people to have these rights, not just wealthy white men ... we all deserve clean air, water, food, and a livable climate,” he adds.

One of the men then urges President Joe Biden to “declare a climate emergency” and says the United States needs to “start moving toward real climate solutions.”

NARA said officials are now investigating the matter. They added that conservators were onsite “within minutes” following the incident and are now conducting a more “thorough evaluation” of the damage to the Rotunda.

The Rotunda will remain closed for cleaning as of Feb. 15, officials said. However, the rest of the National Archives building will remain open, in line with its regular schedule.

“The National Archives Rotunda is the sanctuary for our nation’s founding documents. They are here for all Americans to view and understand the principles of our nation,” Colleen Shogan, archivist of the United States, said in a statement.

“We take such vandalism very seriously and we will insist that the perpetrators be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Activists Target Botticelli Masterpiece

It isn’t immediately clear whether the men are connected with any climate activist group; however, “Declare Emergency,” an organization that regularly organizes climate protests, posted video footage of the two men covered in red dust and standing in front of the Constitution on Feb. 14.

“We the people will not stand for corporate greed and climate destruction. @POTUS Declare a Climate Emergency NOW,” the group wrote alongside the video on social media platform X.

In another post, the group said its “allies” Ultima Generazione (Last Generation) “were also active this Valentine’s Day” after activists from that group targeted Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus,” which is hanging at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery in Italy.

During that incident, the two individuals stuck images of flood damage and landslides in the Tuscany region onto the protective glass covering the famous artwork, NBC Washington reported.

The artwork wasn’t damaged, and the two individuals were detained by the Carabinieri—Italy’s military police—and questioned, according to the publication. They could face as much as six months in prison.

Multiple activist groups have attempted to highlight what they say is a climate emergency in recent years by vandalizing high-profile artworks and historical artifacts.

The most notorious climate activist group, the UK’s Just Stop Oil group, has targeted multiple valuable artworks, including Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London and “The Artist’s Garden at Giverny,” a painting by French impressionist Claude Monet that is on display at Stockholm’s National Museum.