Environmental activist sentenced to two years behind bars for splashing red powder on Constitution exhibit

WASHINGTON — A climate activist has received a two-year prison sentence for vandalizing a display of the original U.S. Constitution earlier this year at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Donald Zepeda, who is affiliated with the group Declare Emergency, was found guilty of destruction of federal property after he dumped red powder onto the case that protects the historic document.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson expressed her belief that Zepeda’s actions did not contribute positively to the climate change movement.
“You still think that was connected to the climate change problem, and I can’t agree with that,” the judge stated.
Zepeda, 35, from Maryland, pleaded guilty to the charges in August. His co-defendant, Jackson Green from Utah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison earlier in the week for his involvement in the incident.
The judge denounced “eco-vandalism,” asserting that such actions do not aid environmental causes but rather reinforce the negative perception of climate advocates, making them appear irrational.
“It’s just plain old vandalism,” she emphasized.
Following the incident, the National Archives evacuated guests and remained closed for repairs, which cost over $58,000. Prosecutors noted that the attack caused panic among visitors unaware that the red substance was merely paint powder.
“Many undoubtedly feared that they were the subject of a chemical weapons attack, which has occurred in D.C. in the not-so-distant past,” a prosecutor mentioned in court.
Prosecutors had recommended a four-year sentence for Zepeda, highlighting his history of similar stunts aimed at drawing attention to climate issues.
Zepeda’s prior offenses include a two-month prison sentence for burglarizing an oil facility in 2017 and a week in jail for pouring syrup and colored liquids on the steps of the Florida state capitol.
In addition, he has participated in numerous protests, blocking traffic alongside other activists.
In April 2023, Zepeda assisted in a climate demonstration at the National Gallery of Art where two activists vandalized the exhibit of Edgar Degas’ famed sculpture, “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.”
Later in November 2023, Zepeda, Green, and others from Declare Emergency targeted the National Gallery of Art again, where Zepeda filmed Green painting “Honor Them” next to “The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial,” which honors one of the Civil War’s first African American regiments.
A prosecutor remarked on Zepeda’s repeated offenses, stating that he has made a career out of performing such acts.
Zepeda’s defense lawyer, Stephen Brennwald, reported that his client was taken aback by the extensive cleanup costs resulting from his actions.
“He has come to realize that what he intended as a dramatic moment aimed to awaken the world to the climate crisis instead transformed into an entirely different narrative,” the lawyer noted.