Three more people charged over damage to Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Three defendants were arraigned after officers said they peeled blue sealant from the renovated Reflecting Pool, deepening scrutiny of a $15 million-plus project.
Cameron Thiers, Sophie Dennison-Gibby and Justin Carreno were arraigned in Washington on misdemeanor destruction-of-property charges after officers saw them peeling pieces of blue sealant from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The three, arrested June 20, were ordered to stay away from the pool, and each case involved less than $1,000 in alleged damage.
In a separate felony case, David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted July 2 in D.C. Superior Court for allegedly ripping off a piece of the newly installed blue sealant on June 19. A hearing in his case was scheduled for July 9, and the investigation involved the U.S. Park Police.
The charges came amid a restoration ordered by Donald Trump for America’s 250th anniversary. The Reflecting Pool closure for lining and repair began April 10 and was scheduled to run through June 10, with work to clean the pool, repair joints and install lining material; the Justice Department's wider effort included restoration of more than 50 parks, 48 monuments and 22 fountains.
By June 18, the project had already cost more than $15 million. The Reflecting Pool was completed in 1924, after the Lincoln Memorial’s 1922 dedication, and remained one of Washington’s most recognizable and filmed sites. Fourteen police reports had been filed and multiple people had been arrested or cited.
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