Former Olympian denies vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool after arrest


A former U.S. Olympian, former canoeist Davey Hearn, was arrested on Friday for allegedly vandalising the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., but he denies any wrongdoing.



Workers with long poles clean the pool
US workers clean the Reflecting Pool with the Lincoln Monument in the background


Hearn, 67, was detained by workers at the pool’s edge while finishing a long bike ride. He says he removed his cycling glove to “simply touch a long strip of rubbery material…that appeared to have delaminated from the bottom of the pool.” He was subsequently placed in handcuffs and detained for about five hours.


The incident comes after a $13m refurbishment of the 2,030‑ft pool, which still suffers from leaks, algae growth and a newly applied paint that is already peeling.


Hearn told BBC News he didn’t “destroy, rip, tear, peel or remove any part” of the paint and that the condition of the pool “didn’t change.” He calls the arrest an “arbitrary, capricious prosecution” and claims someone high up wanted to make an example of him.


The pool has long been a source of controversy. President Donald Trump promoted it as part of a beautification campaign but critics point to the costly project’s lack of lasting results.



A piece of the new blue paint could be seen peeling off the bottom of the pool
A piece of the new blue paint could be seen peeling off the bottom of the pool on Thursday


Hearn’s arrest highlights the ongoing struggles to maintain the Reflecting Pool and questions surrounding the use of public funds and political messaging.