Former Olympian David Hearn has pleaded not guilty to vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool at a court appearance in Washington, DC.
The 67‑year‑old three‑time Olympic canoeist is accused of causing about $1,000 worth of damage to the pool, facing a felony charge of destruction of property.
President Donald Trump has asserted that vandals caused damage to the newly applied coating on the pool’s bottom. Hearn was detained last month after touching some of the material, which, he says, had already "delaminated".
Norm Eisen, one of Hearn's attorneys, warned outside the courthouse that "if Mr Hearn can be charged as a felony, every American is at risk". He added that "touching the Reflecting Pool, touching water, is not a crime in the United States of America."
The plea will remain pending until Hearn’s next court date on 5 August. Authorities say the former Olympian was captured reaching into the water after renovations to the pool.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, alleged that Hearn "ripped" a piece of the recently installed sealant in a “deliberate act” to cause damage on 19 June.
Hearn previously told the BBC he neither destroyed nor removed any part of the paint. Five people have been arrested for vandalism related to the Reflecting Pool, per U.S. Park Police, with five others cited federally.
The Reflecting Pool was rehabilitated with a multi‑million‑dollar resealing and painting project this spring, but the project has been plagued by algae and peeling blue sealant even after completion. Frank Lands, a National Park Service official, noted in a court filing that a liner along the pool’s bottom was cut with a sharp knife around 9 June.
The lawsuit highlights tension between the Trump administration's push to revamp the capital’s historic sites and the Biden‑era oversight of the National Park Service. The case underscores ongoing debates about how to balance preservation, public use, and legal accountability at national monuments.
