A cyclist who was arrested on Friday by U.S. Park Police near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has spoken out after a video of him being handcuffed was posted on social media.
The reflecting pool has come under intense scrutiny after it recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation by the Trump administration that has been followed by algae growth and reports of vandalism. Meanwhile, separate images and video on social media show National Guard members positioned around the reflecting pool over the past two days, suggesting a sustained and visible presence.
David Hearn told The Washington Post in an interview Saturday that he stopped at the Lincoln Memorial to see the reflecting pool after finishing a loop at Hains Point during a 52-mile bike ride.
Hearn explained he reached in to feel a piece of the liner that was detached from the bottom of the pool and was arrested just moments later by park police. He was charged with destruction of government property and is scheduled to appear in court July 9, according to the report.
“I didn’t vandalize anything,” the 67-year-old told the newspaper. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
A peeling section of blue coating is seen in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 20 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The arrest marks a visible escalation in security presence following President Donald Trump’s claims that the newly renovated pool has been targeted by vandalism.
Visitors, cleanup crews, and officials at the National Mall are being impacted as law enforcement activity and military presence increase around one of Washington’s most prominent landmarks.
In a post to Truth Social Saturday, Trump addressed the vandalism accusations once more, writing, “The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll [sic]. Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Years in jail!”
He added that “work will begin immediately on its repair.”
Newsweek contacted the National Guard via its website on Saturday morning to clarify whether personnel have been formally deployed to the site, and what role they are playing. Newsweek also contacted the U.S. Park Police via email on Saturday for comment.
National Guard members walk past a National Park Service employee using a vacuum to clean the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 19 in Washington.
Arrest Video Circulates Online
Video shared on social media showed U.S. Park Police officers detaining Hearn on the grass beside the reflecting pool.
“Man arrested for vandalizing Lincoln Reflecting Pool,” conservative journalist Emily Miller wrote in a Facebook post, describing the incident Friday. “He grabbed the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae.” The Post said that while Miller declined to speak on the record, she did confirm the video over a text when reached Saturday.
Officers wearing dark uniforms with visible “U.S. Park Police” markings were seen in the video placing Hearn in handcuffs next to a bicycle.
Hearn, a three-time Olympian who retired in 2002 from competing in the canoe slalom, refuted the claims made by Miller, saying he reached in to feel the liner.
“I reached in there, and I was able to grab the end of that flapping piece, the already peeling piece,” Hearn told the newspaper. “It was still attached to the bottom. I didn’t remove anything.”
In the background of Miller’s video, National Guard personnel in camouflage uniforms are visible standing on the grass and paved walkways.
National Guard Presence Seen at Site
In multiple photographs, several National Guard personnel in full camouflage uniforms patrol the steps leading down from the Lincoln Memorial toward the pool, with the Washington Monument visible across the water.
Some groups are seen walking in formation, while others stand at intervals along the stone edges of the basin.
Other images show Guard members moving along the paved walkways beside the pool as National Park Service workers use hoses and vacuum-like equipment to clean algae from the water.
A long hose is visible stretched along the ground near the waterline in at least one image, with Guard personnel walking nearby
Additional shots show Guard members positioned facing the pool and surrounding pathways as visitors gather along the edges, indicating monitoring of the area during ongoing cleanup operations.
Members of the National Guard patrol as National Park Service workers clean algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18.
Trump’s Vandalism Claims
The emerging footage comes after Trump said the reflecting pool had been damaged by “vandalism,” claiming unknown individuals used chemicals or other means to sabotage the site.
The pool, which recently underwent a more than $14 million renovation, has faced criticism after quickly turning green due to algae growth and showing signs of peeling surface material.
Officials have previously said the algae bloom is a normal part of the startup process, even as cleanup efforts continue around the clock.
Experts have said the algae bloom may be difficult to avoid given the pool’s conditions and design.
“The minute you put fresh water into a stagnant situation, it’s going to turn green,” John Wilson Jr., a water systems specialist, told Newsweek in previous comments.
Engineer Tyler Dailey added that reflecting pools are not designed with filtration systems typical of swimming pools, meaning “there’s no sanitization of any kind,” which can make controlling algae more challenging.
Members of the National Guard patrol as National Park Service workers clean algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on June 18.
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