Olympian Denies Vandalizing DC Reflecting Pool Amid Paint Peeling Scandal
Olympian Denies Vandalizing DC Reflecting Pool Amid Paint Peeling Scandal
Former Olympian Davey Hearn denies charges after being arrested for "touching" the DC Reflecting Pool. Was he vandalizing or just curious about peeling paint? The $13M renovation is already failing!
Former US Olympian David "Davey" Hearn, a 67-year-old champion canoeist, is strongly denying charges of vandalism after being arrested at the Washington D.C. Reflecting Pool. Hearn was detained on Friday by US Park Police and National Guard troops while finishing a long bike ride, and now faces a misdemeanour charge of destruction of government property.
According to Hearn, he simply removed his cycling glove to touch a "rubbery material" that appeared to have "delaminated" from the bottom of the pool out of curiosity. He insists he did not remove or alter the material, which he described as peeling paint from the recent refurbishment.
The Reflecting Pool, an iconic landmark stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, recently underwent a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project, costing an estimated $13 million. This makeover was championed by President Donald Trump as part of efforts to beautify the US capital. However, despite the significant investment, the pool has continued to suffer from algae growth and, more recently, widespread issues with its new blue paint peeling off, a problem documented by both media and park visitors.
Reacting to the incident, former President Trump took to Truth Social, stating that "multiple individuals" had been arrested for "vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool." He called these "very serious crimes" related to the destruction of National Monuments and announced that "work will begin immediately on its repair." Trump also shared an article about Hearn's arrest.
