Donald Trump Says Six Arrested Over Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Vandalism

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that six people have been arrested over recent damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, as his administration faced scrutiny over law enforcement, aesthetics and environmental concerns ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

In a social media post, Trump claimed without supporting evidence that there had been a “350-foot gash” in the paint and said the federal government would release images to substantiate his claim.

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The president pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool by draining its water and having the bottom painted a color he dubbed “American flag blue,” but since the site was restored its water has been plagued with algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom.

The Associated Press verified that one man was arrested after touching the already-peeling paint, and he said he wanted to examine the new coating after a park worker told him to.

Trump also wrote that “It was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition,” while adding that another seven people were cited for allegedly damaging the pool.

Trump said Tuesday that the Interior Department will release images of alleged vandalism at the pool, and he told reporters that Interior is “going to share” photos and videos of the alleged vandalism, which remains unverified.

The Associated Press reported that the president had said on Monday that the images existed and the federal government would provide them, but no photos were made public as of Tuesday afternoon.

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The Boston Herald described the Reflecting Pool’s $14-million-plus rehabilitation project as a flashpoint over law enforcement, aesthetics and environmental concerns, while noting that Trump claimed a “350-foot gash” in the paint as the administration faced a self-imposed deadline to fix the renovation before the next week’s 250th anniversary celebration.

The Boston Herald also reported that Trump wrote Tuesday that “It was purposefully and criminally done,” and added that another seven people were cited for allegedly damaging the pool.

Atlantic Industrial Coatings said in a statement that it has identified some areas in the Reflecting Pool that require repairs, and that “These areas are a very small part of the massive 7-acre project, and do not indicate a failure of the liner,” while expecting to make repairs once the pool is drained as part of the warranty.

Adding to the controversy, an environmental group called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate after a Mallard duckling carcass was photographed floating in the algae-filled pool, and two other ducks were found dead nearby.

The Associated Press reported that the Center for Biological Diversity said Tuesday that the Wildlife Service must enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Tara Zuardo, a senior campaigner at the Arizona-based group, said, “Wasting taxpayer money turning the reflecting pool into a giant duck death trap just in time for America’s 250th birthday party is as Trump as it gets. Cruel, stupid and selfish,”.

City Wildlife, a Washington-based rescue and rehabilitation non-profit that also conducts necropsies on birds found in the city, said it could not comment on the cause of the death of the duckling because its carcass “wasn’t recovered for examination.”

Trump said Tuesday that “some of the water” will be drained from the pool “either immediately before or after the Fourth of July, to do the permanent repair,” while it remained unclear from his post what the scale, scope or cost of the permanent repair would be.

The Associated Press noted that crews were seen adding fencing around the pool late Tuesday, and National Guard members and Park Police have been patrolling the deck around the pool after Trump insisted over the weekend that vandals were responsible for damage to the liner without providing evidence.