Not long after President Trump claimed that the Reflecting Pool’s green water was caused by vandals, a former Olympian revealed he had been arrested for allegedly taking part in the vandalism.
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While speaking to The Washington Post, former Olympic canoeist David Carter “Davey” Hearn said he was arrested for destruction of government property on June 19. The 67-year-old athlete was in the middle of a 52-mile bike ride when he stopped by the Reflecting Pool.
Hearn defended himself, stating he had just touched a piece of the pool’s detached liner, which was put down during the landmark’s recent $14 million renovation. He said he had just reached into the pool to see what the piece felt like. That was when he was arrested.
“I didn’t vandalize anything,” he explained. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
Recalling his actions, Hearn said, “I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece. It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
Trump Blames the Reflecting Pool Algae Problems on Vandals
Hours after his arrest, Trump alleged that vandals caused the Reflecting Pool’s algae problems.
“Things are really looking good in our Nation’s Capital,” he wrote. “And add to that the fact that when I became President, Crime was rampant, and now, Washington, D.C., is one of the Safest Cities anywhere in the United States.”
Trump also stated, “However, we’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial.”
The world leader then cited the recent “86 47” vandalism on the grass outside the pool. He accused the same vandals of the Reflecting Pool mishap.
“No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall,” he alleged. “They used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
In a separate post, Trump alleged that multiple people have been arrested for vandalizing the Reflecting Pool. “Who would do such a thing?” he asked. “These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail! Work will begin immediately on its repair.”
However, the National Park Service announced its teams and contractors are working to combat the Reflecting Pool’s algae issue. They are using chemicals and ozone nanobubbles.
“There are no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment,” the National Park Service shared in a statement. There was no mention of vandalism issues.