US President Donald Trump has criticized individuals he blames for damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, referring to them as “vandals.” Among those arrested is a former Olympian.
Using Truth Social, Trump stated that federal officers had made “multiple arrests” related to the vandalism of the historic site. He mentioned in a post early on Sunday that more individuals had been arrested in connection with the damage to the Reflecting Pool.
According to Trump, the damage done includes a 250-foot-long gash on the facade, caused by some type of blade. Additionally, corrosive chemicals were poured into the Pool, as reported by the Express.
Contractors informed Trump that the Reflecting Pool would need to be drained for restoration work, which he aims to complete swiftly. The renovation project, costing over USD$14 million, was initiated for the nation’s 250th anniversary. A former Olympian, David Hearn, is facing charges for allegedly damaging the pool.
Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, was detained by Park Police after he touched a loose part of the pool’s liner. Video footage shows Hearn being handcuffed by police.
Hearn denied vandalizing or causing any harm to the pool, explaining that he merely touched the loose piece of liner. He spent nearly five hours in police custody and is scheduled for a court appearance in July.
Trump previously mentioned issues of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool and criticized individuals for damaging the site. He also accused a journalist of attempting to scrape the pool’s surface. The Reflecting Pool restoration project faced algae accumulation issues, which prompted the installation of nanobubbler technology to combat the problem.
The Reflecting Pool has been a challenge for various US administrations, with algae accumulation hindering its intended purpose of reflecting the memorial.
