Former Olympian denies vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool after arrest

Former Olympian denies vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool after arrest 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Max Matza Getty Images US workers clean the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC A former US Olympian arrested for allegedly vandalising the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC is denying he did anything wrong. David "Davey" Hearn, 67, was detained by the pool's edge on Friday as he was finishing a long bike ride. Hearn told BBC News that he had removed his cycling glove to simply touch a long strip of rubbery material which appeared to have "delaminated" from the bottom of the pool, when he was stopped by US Park Police and National Guard troops. The champion canoeist is now facing a misdemeanour charge of destruction of government property. The Reflecting Pool has just undergone a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project, but already the paint appears to be peeling off. President Donald Trump has championed the pool's makeover as part of his bid to beautify the US capital ahead of America's 250th birthday celebrations. The historic Reflecting Pool, stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings. But despite the refurbishment, which cost an estimated $13m (£9.8m), the pool has continued to be plagued by algae and more recently the paint problems, which have seen media and park visitors document pieces of the new blue paint peeling off from the bottom of the pool. The Washington Post via Getty Images A piece of the new blue paint could be seen peeling off the bottom of the pool on Thursday Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Saturday that US Park Police had "arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Pool". "Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments," he continued, adding that "work will begin immediately on its repair". He also shared an article about Hearn's arrest. US Park Police did not reply to request for comment. Hearn told BBC News on Saturday that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint. "The condition of any part of the reflecting pool didn't change," he insisted. "It wasn't affected. It was the same before I got there as when I walked away from it." He called his arrest an "arbitrary, capricious prosecution". A video posted to social media of Hearn's arrest shows him standing near a water-pumping hose that is lying across a footpath and speaking to a woman, before walking away and picking up his bike. He is then approached by two National Guard troops, and the video shows that he was later placed in handcuffs, with US Park Police also standing around. The post includes a suggestion that he had grabbed the hose from one of the park workers, though Hearn denied this when speaking with the Washington Post and said it was possible that