Federal · Title 16 — Conservation

16 U.S.C. § 428i: Protection of monuments, etc.

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

This statute makes it a misdemeanor to willfully destroy, deface, or remove monuments, structures, trees, or battlefield defenses on protected battlefield grounds without authorization from the Secretary of the Interior. Conviction results in a fine of $5 to $100 per offense.

Read the full statutory text

If any person shall willfully destroy, mutilate, deface, injure, or remove any monument, column, statue, memorial structure, or work of art that shall be erected or placed upon the grounds of the battlefield by lawful authority, or shall willfully destroy or remove any fence, railing, inclosure, or other work for the protection or ornament of said battlefield, or any portion thereof, or shall willfully destroy, cut, hack, bark, break down, or otherwise injure any tree, bush, or shrubbery that may be growing upon said battlefield, or shall cut down or fell or remove any timber, battle relic, tree, or trees growing or being upon such battlefield, except by permission of the Secretary of the Interior, or shall willfully remove or destroy any breastworks, earthworks, walls, or other defenses or shelter, or any part thereof, constructed by the armies formerly engaged in the battle on the lands or approaches to the battlefield, any person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction shall for each and every such offense be fined not less than $5 nor more than $100.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.