A former Olympic athlete hailing from asserts that he was apprehended for reaching into the distressed Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to touch a section of the deteriorating “ blue” sealant that is coming off from its basin.
David Hearn, a canoeist who has competed in the Olympics three times, was cycling by the monument on Friday when he observed a section of the pool’s liner adrift in the water. Hearn participated in three Summer Olympic Games as a canoeist, with his final appearance occurring at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Hearn, 67, stated to The Post that he made contact with the detached fragment and was promptly arrested by Park Police at the troubled monument.
Speaking to The Washington Post on Saturday, Hearn, 67, asserted, “I didn’t vandalize anything. I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
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David Hearn arrested: Charges against former Olympian
According to The Post, U.S. Park Police officers have charged Hearn with misdemeanor destruction of government property and have released him to appear in the District of Columbia Superior Court on July 9.
This incident occurred on the same day that President Donald Trump claimed that vandals had “done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed” to “destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
instructed that the pool be renovated in anticipation of the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration on July 4, estimating the cost to be around $2 million. However, the final expenses surpassed $14 million.
Shortly after the project’s completion, the pool’s water became contaminated with algae, resulting in a green hue, and the blue coating began to peel away from the basin.
David Hearn’s arrest video
His arrest was documented by conservative journalist Emily Miller, who shared a 2-minute video clip on social media depicting him being detained by two National Guard members and subsequently surrounded by Park Police officers, as per The Post.
The audio from the encounter was mostly obscured by the noise of a pump, according to The Post.
On Saturday, Hearn stated that his arrest occurred during a scheduled 52-mile bicycle ride.
He refuted the claim of having touched the hose, explaining that his bicycle might have inadvertently made contact with it.
When prompted to elaborate on his actions, he remarked, “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.”
Hearn mentioned that he was held in custody for nearly five hours at a nearby Park Police facility before being released shortly after 9 p.m., at which point he rode his bicycle home.
According to The Post, Hearn was arrested by the Park Police in 1996 for canoeing on the Potomac River, which had risen to a near-record level following heavy rains.
However, a federal judge dismissed the charges of failing to obey a lawful order and interfering with police, citing that the river fell under Maryland’s jurisdiction.
