Washington, D.C. — A 67-year-old former U.S. Olympian found himself in handcuffs on Friday after stopping to look at a piece of loose liner floating in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist from Bethesda, Maryland, was cycling past the monument when he noticed the flapping material in the water. What happened next was caught on video that quickly spread online, showing park police and National Guard members confronting the older man before placing him under arrest.
Hearn told The Washington Post he didn’t vandalize anything. He said he simply reached in, grabbed the end of an already peeling piece that was still attached to the bottom, and never pulled it free. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything,” he said. “By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.” He added that he was drawn to the pool because of its new “American flag blue” liner, which has been struggling with algae and visible wear since the recent renovation.
The arrest came just weeks after crews finished a $14.8 million restoration project on the long, rectangular pool that sits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The new liner was meant to freshen up the water feature, but green patches of algae have already returned in spots, and sections of the surface appear to be coming loose. Hearn was detained for nearly five hours at a U.S. Park Police facility at Hains Point before being released. He now faces a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property and is due in D.C. Superior Court on July 9.
Video of the moment shows Hearn looking genuinely surprised as officers approach. He stands there with his hands visible while they speak with him, then the cuffs go on. The footage doesn’t show him actively tearing or scraping anything. It simply captures a man who stopped, reached into the water, and was quickly surrounded. Park Police have not released additional details or responded to requests for comment on the case.
Hearn’s athletic background makes the story stand out even more. He competed in whitewater slalom canoe for the United States at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics. He earned gold medals at the World Championships in 1985 and 1995 and collected five silver medals across his career. In 1995 he was named USA Canoe Kayak Male Athlete of the Year. For decades he was one of the top paddlers in the country, known for his skill on fast-moving water. Now retired and living in the suburbs outside D.C., he was apparently just out for a bike ride when curiosity got the better of him near one of the city’s most visited spots.
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The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool itself has a long and sometimes troubled history. Completed in the 1920s, the nearly half-mile-long basin was designed to mirror the Lincoln Memorial and create a dramatic vista down the National Mall. Over the years it has needed repeated repairs because of leaks, poor water quality, and heavy use by tourists who sometimes wade in or toss things from the edges. The latest round of work focused on a new waterproof liner and better circulation systems, but the algae bloom that returned almost immediately has frustrated officials and visitors alike.
President Trump addressed the pool’s condition directly on Truth Social on Friday, blaming vandals for much of the damage. He noted that someone had also torn up grass around the edges just days earlier and accused people of using chemicals similar to those reportedly used on other parts of the Mall to harm the new surface. “We’ve had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool,” he wrote, adding that crews expect to have the issues cleaned up by early next week. His comments have fueled online discussion about whether the pool has become a target for people upset with recent changes or maintenance efforts on federal property.
Hearn’s version of events paints a simpler picture. He described stopping because he saw the loose piece and thought he could help by pulling it out of the water before it drifted further. Instead he ended up spending hours in custody. Friends and supporters online have pointed out that the video doesn’t appear to show deliberate destruction, and some have questioned whether the response was overly aggressive for what looks like a brief touch of an already damaged section.
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On the other side, critics argue that anyone who reaches into a federal monument and disturbs its surface should expect consequences, especially while the pool is still under heightened scrutiny after the expensive renovation. The charge itself is a misdemeanor, but damaging government property—even a small amount—can carry fines and possible jail time depending on the judge’s view of the facts.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges with maintaining the National Mall’s most famous features. Between summer heat, algae growth, occasional acts of vandalism, and heavy foot traffic, keeping the Reflecting Pool looking pristine has proven difficult for years. The new liner was supposed to solve some of those problems, yet early signs of wear and the return of green scum suggest more work may be needed.
For Hearn, what began as a bike ride past a landmark turned into an unexpected legal headache. At 67 he is no longer competing, but his name is now tied to a story that mixes Olympic achievement, a viral arrest video, and the never-ending drama surrounding one of America’s most photographed public spaces. Whether the charge sticks or gets dropped will depend on what prosecutors and the court decide after reviewing the footage and Hearn’s account. For now, the former champion paddler is preparing to answer questions in court next month while the Reflecting Pool continues to draw visitors, algae and all.
The case has also sparked wider conversation about how authorities handle minor incidents at high-profile monuments. Some observers note that the quick involvement of both Park Police and National Guard members suggests extra vigilance around the site lately. Others say the whole episode could have been avoided with clearer signage or barriers preventing people from reaching the water’s edge. Either way, the images and video from Friday afternoon will likely keep circulating for days as people weigh in on whether Hearn crossed a line or simply made an innocent mistake while checking out a troubled national treasure.
As the story develops, one thing remains clear: even a quick stop by a retired Olympian can turn into national news when it happens at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial. The Reflecting Pool, meant to inspire reflection and unity, has once again become the center of attention for reasons its designers probably never imagined. Hearn will have his day in court to explain what he was doing that afternoon. Until then, the video and his own words are the main pieces of evidence the public has to go on.
