Former Olympian Davey Hearn denies vandalising Washington’s Reflecting Pool after his arrest last Friday.
Hearn, a 67‑year‑old canoeist who has represented the United States at three Olympic Games, was stopped by US Park Police and National Guard troops as he finished a long bike ride on the shoulder of the Reflecting Pool. According to Hearn, the police arrested him over a brief touch on a strip of rubbery material that had apparently delaminated from the pool’s bottom. He insists the paint never peeled, cracked or otherwise changed during his brief interaction.
Hearn says he was handcuffed, detained for about five hours and denied a phone call, and that he was “arbitrary, capricious prosecution.” He claims the charges are a high‑level attempt to make an example of him.
The incident comes as the Reflecting Pool—stretching 2,030 ft between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument—has recently undergone a costly $13 m maintenance overhaul to address leaks, algae, and paint peeling. Despite this fresh work, the pool still shows green algae growth and more paint has started to flake off, leading to extensive media scrutiny.
President Trump furiously condemns the alleged vandalism.
On Truth Social, Trump posted that “US Park Police has arrested multiple individuals for vandalising our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool.” He claimed the damage involved corrosive chemicals and blade‑like cuts, though no evidence was provided. Trump said the pool would “probably be forced to release and drain much of the water” for repairs.
Hearn shared a video on social media that shows him standing near a water‑pumping hose while he was subsequently escorted to the police. In the clip, he talks to a woman before being seized and handcuffed.
The incident also touches on Hearn’s background—he is a two‑time world champion in slalom canoeing, designer of boats and paddles, and a curious observer of the materials used to paint the pool. In interviews, he noted he had seen news presenters perform similar touches on the surface.
For now, Hearn faces a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property. Legal observers await further investigation steps from US Park Police, who have yet to issue a comment.
