“This indictment concerns an incident on June 19, 2026, in which defendant Hearn tore a piece of sealant that had recently been installed at the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool,” Pirro said.
“This was an intentional act to damage the reflecting pools on the National Mall, which National Park Service officials had actually worked hard to restore.”
Hearn previously told the BBC he had done nothing wrong but was detained on the edge of a swimming pool after a long bike ride.
He said he touched the already damaged material because he was curious about the condition of the pool, adding that he “did not break, rip, tear, peel or remove any part” of the paint.
Hearn described his arrest as an “arbitrary and capricious prosecution.”
“Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be a wake-up call to all Americans,” his attorney said Thursday of the indictment.
Despite undergoing a recent $14 million renovation project, the Reflecting Pool has faced algae problems and large pieces of new sealant have been seen peeling off the floor.
Five people were arrested on vandalism charges related to the reflecting pool, and five others received federal citations, according to U.S. Park Police. National Park Service officials previously said the pool’s inner wall had been cut by a sharp object.
President Trump announced on social media on June 20, “Work will begin immediately to repair the severely damaged reflecting pool.”
“I just looked at it and all I could say to myself and the people gathered around me was, ‘Wow, who would do that? Sick, crazy people!'”
The Reflecting Pool, built in the 1920s and stretching 2,030 feet (619 m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long suffered from leaks, structural deterioration, defective pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.
