Olympic Canoeist's Arrest at Lincoln Memorial Sparks Controversy

A former US Olympian was arrested for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC.

David Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, was cycling past the monument on Friday when he said he stopped and noticed a piece of the pool’s liner floating in the water.

Hearn, 67, claimed to the Washington Post he reached out and touched the detached piece and was quickly taken into custody by Park Police at the beleaguered monument.

“I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn told The Washington Post.

“I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs,” he said.

Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics as a canoeist, last performing in the 1996 Atlanta games.

He was detained for almost five hours at a Park Police facility in Hains Point, according to the Washington Post.

It is not clear if he will face charges.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.