David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoe racer, is contesting a misdemeanor charge related to an alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn asserts he did not commit a crime when detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police. After his temporary detention on Friday, Hearn explained he was only observing paint peeling during a $14 million renovation of the pool.
“I did nothing wrong,” said Hearn, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland. He faces a charge of destruction of government property and expressed concerns over potential repercussions. President Donald Trump announced arrests and citations related to alleged damage to the Reflecting Pool. Hearn believes he has been unfairly targeted, feeling singled out amid unsubstantiated claims of vandalism.
“I feel like I was targeted and I’m feeling singled out—definitely,” he said. Hearn is also worried about a potential conviction or jail time amidst what he describes as attacks on civil rights.
Hearn’s attorney, Norm Eisen, plans to contest the charge, stressing the improper criminalization of Hearn’s conduct. According to the Department of Justice, the charge carries a punishment of up to $100,000 in fines or one year in jail, provided property damage remains below $100.
“Treating ordinary conduct as criminal diverts attention from the real questions of how this project was managed, including its corrupt no-bid contracting process,” Eisen stated. “Using the criminal justice system to target innocent people as a form of distraction is textbook authoritarian behavior.”
On Tuesday, Trump remarked on Truth Social about the arrests tied to alleged vandalism following an algae bloom amidst renovation efforts. He commented on a 350-foot gash, supposedly created with sharp tools, and mentioned damage to the pool and nearby grass. These actions, according to Trump, were intentional and required significant effort.
Hearn previously shared his experience, asserting he unintentionally pulled a piece of liner while observing it in the water. He stated, “I didn’t vandalize anything. I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”