David Hearn was detained by U.S. Park Police near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after what he described as touching a detached liner piece, turning a routine stop into a cyclist arrested at the reflecting pool case. The 67-year-old former three-time Olympian was charged with destruction of government property and is set to appear in court July 9.
Hearn’s Ride Ended At The Pool
Hearn said he had just finished a 52-mile bike ride and stopped at the Lincoln Memorial to see the water before the detention. He told The Washington Post, “I didn’t vandalize anything.” He added, “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything.”
He also said, “By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.” In another account, he said, “I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece,” and, “It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
National Guard Presence Around The Pool
The arrest came with several National Guard members visibly positioned around the reflecting pool over the past two days. In the video of the detention, officers wearing dark uniforms with visible U.S. Park Police markings placed Hearn in handcuffs next to a bicycle, while National Guard personnel in camouflage stood on the grass and paved walkways behind them.
Other images showed Guard members moving along the paved walkways beside the pool as National Park Service workers used hoses and vacuum-like equipment to clean algae from the water. That scene put the arrest in the middle of a heavily watched area, not a quiet corner of the National Mall.
Emily Miller’s Vandalism Claim
The public dispute is simple and sharp. In a Facebook post, Emily Miller wrote, “Man arrested for vandalizing Lincoln Reflecting Pool,” and added, “He grabbed the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae.”
Hearn’s account points in the opposite direction. He said he only touched a detached piece of liner that was already peeling from the bottom of the pool, while the charge against him remained destruction of government property. The reflecting pool had already been under scrutiny after a multimillion-dollar renovation by the Trump administration, followed by algae growth and reports of vandalism.
What readers will get on July 9 is the first formal court step on a charge that depends on what park police say Hearn did to the liner, and whether the contact was enough to treat the incident as damage. Until then, the arrest stands as a visible clash between a public accusation and Hearn’s account at one of Washington’s most watched landmarks.
