Three-time Olympian David Hearn, 67, was arrested on Friday after touching the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C. Hearn, a former canoe slalom competitor, was looking at the pool's 'American flag blue' renovation when he noticed a detached piece of the blue liner. He reached into the water to feel it and was immediately handcuffed and charged with destruction of government property.
Footage Sparks Conservative Outrage
Footage of the incident spread quickly among conservative commentators, who claimed Hearn was vandalizing the pool. However, Hearn told the Washington Post: 'I didn't vandalise anything. I didn't destroy, break, or peel anything. By the time I realised what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.' He explained that he only reached his hand in the water and felt the end of the paint piece, which was still attached to the pool bottom.
Trump's $20 Million Renovation Already Green with Algae
President Donald Trump spent $20 million to refurbish the reflecting pools, which were fixed for leaks and coated with blue paint ahead of the US's 250th independence anniversary. However, the pool is now bright green due to algae. The government stated: 'The algae is dead and being vacuumed up as we speak. We thank President Trump for fixing the Reflecting Pool for good.' The renovation included 'advanced nanobubbler technology' to control algae, but it is unclear if the system is malfunctioning or if high temperatures caused the bloom.
Trump Blames 'Radical Left Lunatics'
In a post after Hearn's arrest went viral, Trump blamed 'Radical Left Lunatics' for vandalizing the pool. Photos from this week show ducks swimming in the dark green water. The incident adds to ongoing criticism of the renovation's quality, as paint has also been reported peeling on the $14.7 million project.
