November 03, 2026
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Dawn Hawa, 50, of Ephrata, and Sean Gerlach, 50, of North Carolina, were charged with federal offenses for allegedly mistreating the Liberty Bell, which is shown in a file photo.
Two people are facing criminal charges for allegedly attempting to tamper with the Liberty Bell and vandalize it, prosecutors said.
Dawn Hawa, 50, of Ephrata, Lancaster County, and Sean Gerlach, 50, of Fairview, North Carolina, were among a group of people visiting the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park on May 16 when Gerlach jumped over the protective barrier and "forcefully pushed" the bell, causing it to sway several times, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said Monday.
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Metcalf said Gerlach's actions were caught on surveillance cameras.
During the same visit, prosecutors allege that Hawa flicked an "oily substance" on the Liberty Bell and the area surrounding it. A spokesperson from Metcalf's office declined to comment about what the substance was, citing the case's active status.
During an interview with FBI investigators in July, Gerlach identified himself in the security footage and admitted that he "tried to ring the Liberty Bell," according to an affidavit.
Gerlach was charged with tampering with property in a National Park and trespassing on National Park property. Hawa faces one count of vandalism of property in a National Park.
If convicted, Gerlach faces a maximum sentence of up to one year in federal prison. Hawa faces a maximum sentence of up to six months in prison.
