Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 20
Former Olympian David Hearn Arrested Over Reflecting Pool Liner, Faces July 9 Court Date
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 20

Former Olympian David Hearn Arrested Over Reflecting Pool Liner, Faces July 9 Court Date

1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 20

Summary

  • David Hearn, a former Olympian from Bethesda, was arrested Friday at the Lincoln Memorial on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property after stopping during a 52-mile bike ride.
  • Hearn said he only reached into the Reflecting Pool to touch a partially detached section of the new liner and “didn’t destroy or break or peel anything.”
  • U.S. Park Police arrested him moments later as he was leaving the site; he is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
  • The arrest follows President Donald Trump’s claims that vandals had sabotaged the pool’s refurbishment, though Hearn disputes that he caused any damage.

Insights

A $14M renovation fails in weeks. Is the cyclist's arrest a legitimate defense of property or a convenient scapegoat?
Was an Olympian arrested to distract from a multi-million dollar project's embarrassing and rapid failure?