Five Arrested Over Vandalism of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington

Police have arrested five people and issued official penalties to another five after the newly renovated reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington was damaged.

Five Arrested Over Vandalism of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington

Five people have been arrested and another five fined after the recently renovated reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington suffered extensive damage, according to 24ur.com.

The pool, which underwent a USD 14.2 million refurbishment ahead of the 250th anniversary of the United States, was found covered in algae, with its protective coating peeling off. President Donald Trump inspected the site personally and announced immediate repairs. On social media he wrote that the damage was severe and asked, "who would do such a thing?"

Trump claimed that unknown individuals had cut a gash more than 75 metres long into the surface and poured chemicals into the water to encourage algae growth. His administration reported that police had filed fourteen incident reports in total.

Among those detained was former Olympian David Hearn, who told the Washington Post that he had merely stopped to touch a section of loose coating to see how it felt and was then arrested for a misdemeanour.

U.S. Attorney for Washington, Jeanine Pirro, warned that anyone damaging national monuments would face strict prosecution. Park Service staff are meanwhile trying to control the algae bloom, adding hydrogen peroxide to the shallow water, which often exceeds 29 °C in summer. Trump stated that about 75 percent of the algae had already been removed and insisted the pool had never looked better since its construction in 1922.

The alleged vandalism comes amid heightened political tension. Trump suggested the same people who recently carved the number "8647" into the grass beside the pool — a numeric slogan used by some critics of the 47th president — may also be responsible for the pool damage. It remains unclear, however, whether the problems are entirely due to vandalism or partly the result of a rushed, costly renovation.

Source: 24ur