A former Olympic athlete from Maryland Claims he was arrested for reaching into the dilapidated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and touching a portion of the deteriorating “Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.”American flag The blue” sealant came off the pot.
David Hearn, a three-time Olympian canoeist, was biking past the monument on Friday when he spotted part of the pool liner floating in the water. Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics as a kayaker, making his final appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Hearn, 67, told The washington He came into contact with the detached pieces and was immediately arrested by park police at the troubled monument, the post said.
Hearn, 67, asserted in an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday, “I didn’t break anything. I didn’t destroy, destroy or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was already in handcuffs.”
David Hearn arrested: Charges brought against former Olympian
According to the Washington Post, U.S. Park Police charged Hearn with misdemeanor destruction of government property and released him to appear in District of Columbia Superior Court on July 9.
The incident occurred the same day President Donald Trump claimed vandals “did everything they could to harm the interior surfaces of the newly installed installations” in order to “destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
trump card The pool is directed to be renovated ahead of the July 4 celebration of America’s 250th Independence Day at an estimated cost of about $2 million. However, the final cost exceeded $14 million.
Shortly after the project was completed, the water became contaminated with algae and turned green, and the blue coating began to peel off the pool.
David Hearn arrest video
His arrest was documented by conservative journalist Emily Miller, who shared a 2-minute video clip on social media showing him being detained by two National Guard members and then surrounded by park police, The Washington Post reported.
The audio of the encounter was largely obscured by the noise of the pump, The Washington Post reported.
On Saturday, Hearn said he was arrested during a scheduled 52-mile bike ride.
He dismissed claims of contact with the hose, explaining that his bike may have inadvertently come into contact with the hose.
Asked to elaborate on his actions, he said: “I reached in and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the piece that had peeled off. It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
Hearn noted that he was detained at a nearby park police facility for nearly five hours and released shortly after 9 p.m., at which time he was riding his bicycle home.
Hearn was arrested by Park Police in 1996 for canoeing on the Potomac River, which was near record levels after heavy rains, The Washington Post reported.
However, a federal judge dismissed charges of failure to comply with lawful orders and interfering with police on the grounds that the river fell within Maryland’s jurisdiction.
