Five Arrested After Alleged Vandalism of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Federal officials said five people were detained in connection with suspected damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, while the president warned of severe prison penalties for such offenses.
Federal authorities announced Monday that five individuals have been arrested and five others cited in relation to suspected vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The arrests follow comments by the president on Saturday alleging a 250-foot cut in the pool’s surface, though no public evidence of the damage has been presented.
Among those taken into custody is former Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn, who told NBC News he was held for five hours after handling a piece of detached coating at the site. The president said over the weekend that the pool might need to be drained again and claimed to have inspected the area from Marine One.
In a Truth Social post, the president warned that a ten-year prison term applies to the destruction or attempted destruction of historic monuments and said it would be fully enforced. No social-media posts or other immediate evidence have confirmed the alleged damage or any messages left near the pool.
