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Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn was arrested Friday in Washington, D.C. for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn, 67, represented the United States in three Summer Olympics — competing in the canoe slalom at the 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, and 2000 Sydney Games. He also won six consecutive world championships in C-1 team competition from 1979 to 1989, and two individual titles.
What Happened
Hearn stopped while on a 52-mile bike ride to take a look at the Reflecting Pool after its recent renovation. He said he paused to feel the detached blue liner along the pool’s floor: “I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece. It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
U.S. Park Police arrested him Friday at the monument, charging him with the misdemeanor offense of destruction of government property. He was held for roughly five hours before his release and is set to appear in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
Hearn’s Defense
“I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn told the Washington Post. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.” He also told the Associated Press, “I’m a curious citizen. I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery.”
Background on the Pool’s Problems
The pool underwent a $14.8 million restoration. Its new blue coating turned green with algae, and the lining began peeling after workers applied chemicals to treat the bloom. The Trump administration had pushed for the pool to appear clear blue, presumably to look its best for the celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary on July 4.
A Disputed Account
A conservative journalist, Emily Miller, filmed the arrest and wrote that Hearn seized a hose that workers were using to clear algae — though that alleged act does not appear in her video. Hearn denied ever touching the hose, though acknowledged his bike tire may have made contact with it.
Trump Weighs In
President Trump announced multiple arrests at the pool on Truth Social, writing: “These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!” Trump also alleged that “Radical Left Lunatics” were conducting vandalism at the pool and claimed that ABC reporter Jonathan Karl was seen attempting to pull rubber from the pool’s surface.
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