Ex-Olympian canoeist denies vandalizing Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
· Toronto Sun
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Former American Olympic canoeist David Hearn has denied vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. after his arrest late last week.
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Hearn, 67, was cycling past the monument on Friday when he said he noticed a piece of the pool’s liner floating in the water.
The three-time Olympian told BBC News he removed his cycling glove to touch the rubbery liner, which he said appeared to have “delaminated from the bottom of the pool.” He was then stopped by U.S. Park Police and National Guard troops.
“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.
“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,” he said.
Video of Hearn’s arrest went viral. In the footage, he looked bewildered as he’s confronted by the National Guard before being cuffed by U.S. Park Police.
Hearn is facing a misdemeanour charge of destruction of government property, per BBC News.
Exclusive! RAW VIDEO. Man arrested for vandalizing Lincoln Reflecting Pool. He grabbed the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Police and National Guard responded. Watch pic.twitter.com/oMIXFqKwEs
— emily miller (@emilymiller) June 19, 2026
‘Many additional people’ arrested, says Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Saturday that “many additional people” have been arrested in connection to “disgraceful Vandalism.”
“What these terrible Vandals (sic) have done is a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and should be dealt with accordingly,” Trump wrote.
The president claimed vandals poured chemicals into the pool and that it would have to be drained in order to make repairs.
“The Reflecting Pool was never so beautiful as it was just one week ago, even going back to 1922 when it opened. We are very proud of what we have done with this magnificent structure, and we will get it repaired, quickly, to an equal level of Beauty,” said Trump.
Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool. I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE! We will fix it? President DJT
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) June 21, 2026
( TS: Jun 21 2026, 4:37 PM ET )… pic.twitter.com/bWO215O10L
Trump vowed to have the reflecting pool repaired as soon as possible. The decrepit state of the pool comes weeks after a $14.8 million restoration project was finished, per The New York Post .
Three-time Olympian has court date
A native of Bethesda, Md., Hearn competed in the Whitewater Slalom Canoe category in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.
Hearn is also a two-time World Champion, winning gold in 1985 and 1995.
He was detained for almost five hours at a Park Police facility in Hains Point, Md., the Post reported. He’s scheduled to appear in DC Superior Court on July 9 to face the misdemeanour charge.