Editing Washington Monument (section)

====Repeated closures====
After reopening in September 2019, the Washington Monument was closed on March 14, 2020, because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>Jen Rose Smith. [https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-national-parks-closed-coronavirus-wellness/index.html "These US national parks are closed because of coronavirus."] CNN Travel, 17 March 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref>  It reopened on October 1, 2020,<ref name="Lantry">Lauren Lantry. [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/washington-monument-reopening-wednesday-closed-covid/story?id=78809903 "The Washington Monument is reopening Wednesday after being closed because of COVID."] ''ABC News.'' 14 July 2021.  Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> and remained open through the remainder of that year, except for brief closures.<ref>Joey Garrison. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/18/washington-monument-closed-down-after-secretary-positive-covid-19/3958784001/ "Washington Monument closed down after Interior Secretary tests positive for COVID-19."] ''USA Today.'' 18 December 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> On January 11, 2021, a few days after the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack]], the National Park Service announced a two-week closure of the monument until after the [[Inauguration of Joe Biden|presidential inauguration]] due to "credible threats to visitors and park resources".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/533634-washington-monument-closed-through-inauguration-due-to-credible/ |title=Washington Monument closed through inauguration due to 'credible threats' |date=January 11, 2021 |work=The Hill |first=Rebecca |last=Beitsch |access-date=January 11, 2021 }}</ref>  Following a lack of violence, the closure was extended due to a revival of COVID-19 fears.<ref>Greg Clary. [https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/23/politics/washington-monument-closed-coronavirus/index.html "."] ''CNN Politics''. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref> The monument then reopened on July 14, 2021,<ref name="Lantry" /> only to close yet again on August 16 for two weeks due to lightning strikes which damaged some electrical systems.<ref>Alejandro Alvarez. [https://wtop.com/local/2021/08/washington-monument-closed-for-4th-day-after-lightning-strike/ "Washington Monument closed for 4th day after lightning strike."] ''WTOP News.''. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.</ref>

On September 20, 2022, the monument was closed for one evening because a man was defacing the monument with red paint and [[graffiti]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/washington-monument-vandalism/index.html|title=Washington Monument vandalized with red paint|last1=Winston|first1=Adrienne|last2=Marcus|first2=Lilit|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=September 21, 2022|access-date=September 27, 2022}}</ref> He was arrested and charged with vandalism,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weil |first1=Martin |last2=Hermann |first2=Peter |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/20/washington-monument-vandalism-arrest-police/ |title=Washington Monument vandalized with paint; man is arrested, police say |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=2022-09-21 |accessdate=2022-09-21 }}</ref> to which he pleaded guilty, and later sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to pay restitution to the Park Service.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/man-pay-thousands-for-defacing-washington-monument/65-09357ea9-4f40-4b97-9fff-0a90eaa20a05 |title=Man to pay thousands for defacing Washington Monument |date=December 20, 2022 |work=[[WUSA (TV)|WUSA]] |first=Alanea |last=Cremen |access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref>