Accused Olympian Maintains Innocence
David "Davey" Hearn, a 67-year-old former US Olympian, is refuting claims that he vandalized the Washington Reflecting Pool following his arrest on Friday. Hearn, a champion canoeist, faces a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property after being detained near the pool's edge while completing a bike ride.
According to Hearn, he was simply touching a strip of rubbery material that appeared to be delaminating from the pool's bottom when he was approached by US Park Police and National Guard troops. He asserts that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint and that the pool's condition remained unchanged by his actions.
Reflecting Pool's Ongoing Issues
The Reflecting Pool, which stretches 2,030 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, recently underwent a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project. This refurbishment, costing an estimated $13 million, was championed by former President Donald Trump as part of an effort to beautify the capital. However, despite the significant investment, the pool has continued to experience problems, including algae growth and, more recently, widespread peeling of the new blue paint.
Images and reports from media and park visitors have documented pieces of the new blue paint detaching from the pool's surface. Trump commented on the situation on Truth Social, stating that "multiple individuals" had been arrested for "vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool" and that "work will begin immediately on its repair." He also shared an article about Hearn's arrest.
Details of the Arrest
Hearn described his arrest as an "arbitrary, capricious prosecution." A social media video of the incident shows him near a water-pumping hose, speaking with a woman, before picking up his bike. He is then approached by two National Guard troops and subsequently handcuffed, with US Park Police also present. While a social media post suggested he had grabbed the hose, Hearn denied this, speculating his bike tire might have moved it.
The former Olympian, who competed in slalom canoeing in three Olympic Games and won two world championships, explained that his professional background in designing boats and waterproof products made him curious about the materials used in the pool's paint. He stated he only briefly touched the material before a park service worker told him to stop. Hearn also noted that he had seen a national news presenter touch the material in a report on the pool's issues. He was reportedly detained for approximately five hours without being allowed to make a phone call, suggesting that someone "high up decided to make an example of me."
"I don't really feel like I did anything wrong."
Despite the problems, Hearn expressed that the Reflecting Pool is "really pretty" and that its most important quality is its reflective surface, especially on calm days.
Previous Concerns and Administrator's Comments
The condition of the Reflecting Pool has garnered media attention in recent weeks, partly due to the award of no-bid contracts for the renovation project. Former President Trump had promised a "beautiful, beautiful reflecting pool" that would "stay clean" and personally selected the "American Flag Blue" paint color. On Friday, he claimed that the "algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied." In later posts on Saturday, he alleged, without presenting evidence, that vandals had "poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool" and damaged the lawn with a "knife or blade." He also mentioned that contractors had inspected the pool and would likely need to drain much of the water for necessary repairs, aiming for a swift completion.
Source: Former Olympian denies vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool after arrest