### Climate Activists Imprisoned for Defacing U.S. Constitution Case

In a recent court decision, two climate activists received significant prison sentences for an act of vandalism aimed at drawing attention to climate change. The incident occurred in February at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C., when Jackson Green, 27, from Utah, and Donald Zepeda, 35, from Maryland, poured red powder over the display case holding the U.S. Constitution.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia sentenced Green to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Zepeda received a harsher sentence of two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Both men are required to pay restitution amounting to $58,607.59 to the National Archives.

The protest, captured on video, saw Green and Zepeda calling for climate change solutions while dousing themselves and the display case with pink pigment and cornstarch. Although the Constitution remained unharmed, the cleanup demanded over $50,000 and the efforts of numerous conservationists and maintenance personnel.

The activists faced felony charges of destruction of government property. Zepeda initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty in August. Green, associated with the group Declare Emergency, was also involved in a separate vandalism act at the National Gallery of Art in November 2023, for which he wrote "HONOR THEM" in red paint beside a mural. He was sentenced to 90 days for this incident, to be served concurrently with his 18-month sentence for the National Archives incident, and owed $706 in restitution to the National Gallery.

Prosecutors had recommended stiffer penalties, urging the court to sentence Green to two years and Zepeda to four years in prison. They cited Zepeda's extensive criminal history, including burglary and trespassing, as grounds for a lengthier sentence.

In a statement to the court, Green expressed remorse, acknowledging the unforeseen impact of their protest and accepting responsibility. Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist and head of the National Archives and Records Administration, expressed a desire for even longer sentences to serve as a deterrent against future attacks on cultural institutions.