Former Olympian indicted for allegedly vandalising Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

A erstwhile US Olympian has been charged with vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool successful Washington, DC.

Authorities accidental David "Davey" Hearn, 67, a three-time Olympic canoeist, was seen reaching into the h2o past period aft renovations to the pool.

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro told a property league connected Thursday that Hearn had caused $1,000 (£750) worthy of harm and is facing a felony complaint of demolition of property.

Hearn's attorneys said successful a connection that helium is guiltless and that the "indictment reflects the administration's effort to displacement blasted for their ain failures".

President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for the peeling of recently applied coating connected the bottommost of the pool.

"The indictment is successful effect to an incidental that occurred connected June 19th of 2026, successful which the defendant, Hearn, ripped a portion of precocious installed sealant connected the bottommost of the reflecting excavation astatine the Lincoln Memorial," Pirro said.

"This was a deliberate enactment to harm the reflecting excavation astatine the National Mall that members of the National Park Service really person worked hard to restore."

Hearn antecedently told the BBC helium did not bash thing wrong, but was detained by the pool's borderline arsenic helium was finishing a agelong motorcycle ride.

He said helium had been funny astir the authorities of the excavation and touched worldly that had already been damaged, adding that helium "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, oregon region immoderate part" of the paint.

Hearn described his apprehension arsenic "arbitrary, capricious prosecution".

"Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should beryllium alarming to each American," his attorneys said connected Thursday successful effect to the indictment.

Despite undergoing a caller $14 cardinal renovation project, the Reflecting Pool has encountered problems with algae and ample pieces of the caller sealant person been seen peeling from the bottom.

Five radical person been arrested for vandalism successful transportation with the Reflecting Pool, according to US Park Police, and 5 others person been issued national citations. An authoritative astatine the National Park Service had antecedently said the pool's lining had been chopped with a crisp object.

Trump said connected societal media connected 20 June that "work volition statesman instantly connected fixing the earnestly vandalized Reflecting Pool".

"I conscionable inspected it, and could lone accidental to myself, and those gathered astir me, WOW, who would bash specified a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!"

The Reflecting Pool, built successful the 1920s and stretching 2,030ft (619m) betwixt the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has agelong been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae maturation and vertebrate droppings.

With further reporting by Max Matza.