“Tourist” from Red China Allegedly Came to DC Solely to Deface Monuments

"Tourist" from Red China Allegedly Came to D.C. for the Sole Purpose of Defacing National Monuments, Churches with Paint, Urine, and Feces; was She on Orders from the Communists ?

 

 

Chinese vandalism suspect, Jiamei Tian

 

 

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix

 

A tip 'o the hate to my VDARE colleague, Brenda Walker.

 

Woman charged in vandalism at National Cathedral ordered held without bond

 

From Athena Jones

updated 12:53 PM EDT, Wednesday, July 31, 2013

CNN

National Park Service workers clean the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Friday, July 26, after someone splattered green paint on the statue of Abraham Lincoln and on the floor. A woman was arrested Monday, July in connection with vandalism on two locations inside the National Cathedral. Jiamei Tian, 58, was not immediately tied to the vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial or other incidents that occurred over the past week.

Green paint is splattered on the base of the statue on July 26.

National Park Service workers clean the Lincoln Memorial on July 26.

Green paint was tossed on the pedestal of the statue of Joseph Henry outside the headquarters of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington on Monday, July 29.

The paint on the statue of the Smithsonian's first secretary was discovered the same day as the Lincoln Memorial vandalism.

Members of Gold Leaf Studios, an art preservation organization, work to remove green paint from the organ in the Washington National Cathedral's historic Bethlehem Chapel on Tuesday, July 30.

William Adair of Gold Leaf Studios removes paint from the organ in the Bethlehem Chapel on July 30.

Gold Leaf Studios members remove paint from the organ in Bethlehem Chapel on July 30.

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DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

DC monuments vandalized with paint

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

·         If found guilty, she could face up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine

·         Jiamei Tian, 58, has been charged with felony destruction of property

·         She will be kept in custody at least until a second hearing Friday

·         Her visa allowing her to be in the United States expired Saturday

 

Washington (CNN) -- A woman arrested in connection with the splattering of paint in two locations inside the National Cathedral in Washington was ordered held without bond Tuesday.

 

Jiamei Tian, 58, has been charged with felony destruction of property. When officers arrested her on Monday, she had green paint on her clothes and shoes, and paint cans were found in three bags she had with her, according to a police report obtained by CNN.

 

If found guilty, she could face up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

 

Tian will be kept in custody at least until a second hearing, which is scheduled for Friday morning.

That hearing will determine whether there is probable cause to continue to hold her. If she is held, she would be entitled to another hearing within 100 days.

 

 

More green paint splattered in D.C.

 

Washington deals with landmark vandalism

 

 

Lincoln Memorial vandalized with paint

 

During her appearance in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Tuesday, Tian wore a white jumpsuit and appeared disheveled with messy hair. She was calm throughout. Early on, while waiting her turn near the front of the courtroom, Tian appeared to be smiling.

 

A Mandarin interpreter was brought in to assist her during the proceedings.

 

According to court documents, Tian had a visa allowing her to be in the United States that expired on Saturday. She traveled on a Chinese passport.

 

Prosecutors argued she was a serious flight risk with no fixed address.

 

"She's been in the community for only a few days, and the government would argue that there is strong evidence that the defendant's presence in the district is for no other purpose than to deface national monuments and landmarks," said prosecutor Kevin Chambers.

 

After Tian's arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer against her, meaning that ICE wants to be notified before local law enforcement releases her.

 

In other incidents, green paint was used recently to deface the Lincoln Memorial, a statue of Martin Luther in Thomas Circle and a statue in front of a Smithsonian building, the court documents said.

Tian was not immediately tied to those events, and her lawyer, Nancy Glass, argued there is no evidence directly connecting Tian to them.

 

Her clothes were sent to a forensics team to determine whether the paint on them matches the paint at the other locations.

 

Another landmark in Washington -- Luther Place Memorial Church -- was also defaced. The court documents allege that a woman matching Tian's description was seen at the church Sunday. The church is right next to the defaced statue of Martin Luther.

 

White paint mixed with urine and feces was splattered on the church's organ.

 

At the cathedral, in Washington's northwest quadrant, paint was discovered on an organ console and casework inside the historic Bethlehem Chapel, in the building's lower level.

 

A spokesman said the paint was wet when it was discovered. Paint was also found in the Children's Chapel, in the cathedral's nave.

 

The cathedral is a popular tourist destination. It said that repairs, estimated to cost $15,000, have already begun.

 

Five miles south, on the National Mall, green paint was discovered on a statue outside the Smithsonian Institution Building, known widely as the Castle.

 

Linda St. Thomas, the Smithsonian's chief spokeswoman, said the statue is of Joseph Henry, the first secretary of the federally administered group of museums.

 

CNN's Greg Seaby, Carol Cratty, Dana Ford, Erin McPike and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.