Former U.S. Olympic Athlete Arrested in Connection with Reflecting Pool Vandalism

David Hearn, who has represented the United States at three Summer Olympics, has been arrested on suspicion of damaging the Washington reflecting pool.

Former U.S. Olympic Athlete Arrested in Connection with Reflecting Pool Vandalism

A former American Olympic athlete has been taken into custody on suspicion of vandalizing the reflecting pool in Washington, D.C. The matter was reported by news agencies including the Associated Press and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

David Hearn, who competed for the United States at three separate Summer Olympic Games, confirmed his arrest to the BBC. He stated that he had been out cycling on Friday and stopped at the edge of the pool. According to his account, he removed his cycling gloves and touched a long rubber strip that appeared to have come loose from the pool's base. At that point, authorities detained him.

He is now facing a charge of destroying government property. Hearn denies any wrongdoing.

The reflecting pool lies between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to beautify the capital ahead of the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations.

Following the completion of the restoration work, the pool's bottom quickly turned yellowish-green due to an algal bloom, the AP reports.

Trump has blamed vandalism for the pool's problems. He posted on his Truth Social platform over the weekend that several people had been arrested in connection with damage to the pool. According to the AP, Trump claimed that the grass surrounding the pool had been destroyed and that its interior surface had been targeted "by every means possible." He did not provide detailed evidence to support these claims.

Additionally, Trump indicated that the reflecting pool will likely need to be renovated again.

Source: Etelä-Suomen Sanomat

Source: Google News FI — Crime (fi)