An increased number of law enforcement officers have been seen patrolling the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after President Donald Trump alleged vandals caused extensive damage to the recently renovated landmark.
The increased security presence comes as work crews started draining the pool on Monday to repair what Trump called a 300-foot “gash” in the pool’s liner, as well as address algae blooms the president claimed were the result of chemicals being added to the water.
Trump offered a reminder to anyone considering vandalizing the pool that “there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things – Which will be fully enforced!” The administration has not provided proof that vandalism caused the damage. National Park Service crews dumped gallons of hydrogen peroxide into the pool last week in an effort to kill the algae.
A spokesperson for the United States Secret Service said the agency did not have personnel in the area, but officers from the U.S. Park Police, Homeland Security Investigations, a branch within Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and National Guard members were photographed near the pool. Officers from the Oklahoma City Police Department, who were deputized to assist local police in America 250 celebrations, were also seen in the area.
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, has promised “serious charges” against any individuals who promote algae growth in the Reflecting Pool, and said they will be prosecuted to the “fullest extent.”
Five individuals have been arrested on vandalism charges, and another five people were issued citations, according to an Interior Department spokesperson. There are additional police reports related to vandalism.
A former Olympian, David Hearn, was arrested by U.S. Park Police over the weekend on a charge of destruction of government property, but he has claimed he was only feeling the paint that had already been detached from the pool’s surface. Another man was arrested Monday for disorderly conduct, according to Park Police.
The Reflecting Pool has become a flashpoint after the Trump administration completed a multimillion-dollar restoration project aimed at improving the appearance of monuments and public spaces around the district before the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The renovation, including repainting the Reflecting Pool “American Flag Blue,” but within days, the water had turned bright green from algae blooms, and sections of paint were seen floating after peeling off the surface.
TRUMP SAYS 300-FOOT GASH IN REFLECTING POOL IS BEING ‘TAKEN CARE OF’
Trump has attributed at least some of the problems to vandalism rather than construction or maintenance issues, and Pirro has also suggested tampering, saying anyone seen pouring chemicals into the water will be charged.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Park Police, the National Guard, and the DHS for comment.