Former Olympian indicted for allegedly vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool

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

Authorities say David "Davey" Hearn, 67, a three-time Olympic canoeist, was seen reaching into the water last month after renovations to the pool.

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro told a press conference on Thursday that Hearn had caused $1,000 (£750) worth of damage and is facing a felony charge of destruction of property.

Hearn's attorneys said in a statement that he is innocent and that the "indictment reflects the administration's effort to shift blame for their own failures".

President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for the peeling of newly applied coating on the bottom of the pool.

"The indictment is in response to an incident that occurred on June 19th of 2026, in which the defendant, Hearn, ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial," Pirro said.

"This was a deliberate act to damage the reflecting pool at the National Mall that members of the National Park Service actually have worked hard to restore."

Hearn previously told the BBC he did not do anything wrong, but was detained by the pool's edge as he was finishing a long bike ride.

He said he had been curious about the state of the pool and touched material that had already been damaged, adding that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint.

Hearn described his arrest as "arbitrary, capricious prosecution".

"Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American," his attorneys said on Thursday in response to the indictment.

Despite undergoing a recent $14 million renovation project, the Reflecting Pool has encountered problems with algae and large pieces of the new sealant have been seen peeling from the bottom.

Five people have been arrested for vandalism in connection with the Reflecting Pool, according to US Park Police, and five others have been issued federal citations. An official at the National Park Service had previously said the pool's lining had been cut with a sharp object.

Trump said on social media on 20 June that "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!"

The Reflecting Pool, built in the 1920s and stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.

With additional reporting by Max Matza.