Archivist calls for maximum punishment for climate activists who damaged founding documents

The bizarre attack on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in Washington, D.C. earlier this year was like an “emotional buzzsaw,” according to America’s archivist.

Colleen Shogan, who also serves as director of the National Archives and Records Administration. He spoke in court before a federal judge on Tuesday During the sentencing of a career climate protester who, with a partner, helped spread red paint on display cases containing historical documents.

In his remarks, Shogan said the Valentine’s Day incident was a deliberate attack on “our shared history and the beliefs that unite us as Americans.”

He said of the crime: “These documents are the physical embodiment of our nation’s founding principles and symbolize what it means to be an American. The attack created an emotional stir for National Archives staff and many people across the country.” By Jackson Green and Donald Zepeda. “It was like someone in our family had been attacked.”

Green and Zepeda entered rotunda He went inside the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and plastered the casings protecting the founding documents. red dye and non-toxic pink powder.

“These documents are the physical embodiment of our nation’s founding principles and symbolize what it means to be America,” Shogan said in his statement.

The Bill of Rights, which is kept in the same location, was not targeted.

Shogan told U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson that the “extremely thin paint” covering the Constitution case “has spread throughout the Rotunda and threatens to stain and permanently disfigure the historic marble.”

“To further complicate matters, the gunpowder penetrated the outer layer of protection provided by the casing, finding its way into the intricate details of the intricately cast bronze and between the layers of glass that served as the Constitution’s first line of defense.” continued.

The Rotunda was closed to the public for four days. The attack caused more than $50,000 in damage.

Shogan said the two original founding documents were “the definition of priceless” and called on the judge to impose the harshest sentence possible.

“It should be clear to everyone that attacking the United States Constitution in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building is not the same as physically or symbolically damaging a public park or the wall of an office building,” Shogan said.

“As Americans, we have the right to freedom of expression, but that does not absolve us from the consequences of our actions. And the consequences of choosing to attack the foundational records of our nation must be significant.”

He said climate protests targeting “museums and the unique treasures of our cultural history that we entrust to the nation” are not trivial, victimless crimes.

“It is vital not only for the National Archives, but for all cultural institutions across the country, to make clear the significance of these crimes and send a strong message to deter future attacks,” he said. “I respectfully ask that you consider the maximum possible sentence for these crimes. “Anything less sends the wrong message to Americans about the rule of law, our system of government, and the principles that ensure its peaceful continuation.”

Zepeda from the leaders Declare an EmergencyHe was arrested along with Green, and both were charged with serious damage to government property.

Green, of Utah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday. On Friday, Zepeda, who lives in Maryland, was sentenced to two years in prison. Both men recently accepted plea deals from prosecutors.