Former US Olympian David ‘Davey’ Hearn has pleaded not guilty to vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool at a court appearance in Washington DC.
Hearn is accused of causing $1,000 (£750) of damages to the pool. He faces a felony charge of destruction of property.
President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for damage to newly applied coating on the bottom of the pool. Hearn was detained last month after touching some of the material, and told BBC News at the time it had already “delaminated”.
“If Mr Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the Reflecting Pool, every American is at risk”, said Norm Eisen, one of Hearn’s attorneys, speaking outside the courthouse on Thursday.
“It is not a crime to touch the Reflecting Pool, to touch water, in the United States of America,” he said.
Hearn, 67, a three-time Olympic canoeist, is next due in court 5 August.
Authorities say Hearn was seen reaching into the water last month after renovations to the pool.
The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, alleged last week as she announced the charge against Hearn that he “ripped” a piece of the recently installed sealant in a “deliberate act” to cause damage on 19 June.
Hearn previously told the BBC that he “didn’t destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part” of the paint.
Five people have been arrested for vandalism in connection with the Reflecting Pool, according to US Park Police, and five others have been issued federal citations.
Hearn’s attorneys have accused the Trump administration of charging their client in an effort to shift blame for the site’s problem-plagued makeover.
The Reflecting Pool underwent a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project this spring.
The monument had long been beset by structural failures and leaks, and Trump has championed the project as part of his bid to beautify the capital city.
But, despite the makeover, which cost an estimated $13m (£9.8m), the pool has continued to be plagued by algae, and pieces of the blue sealant peeled off within days.
Frank Lands, an official at the National Park Service, said in a court filing last month liner along the bottom of the Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor sometime around on 9 June.
Crews began draining the Reflecting Pool for the second time in three months on Sunday, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
Officials had positioned fireworks around the Reflecting Pool for 4 July celebrations, which scattered debris into the water.
Burgum said on a podcast that they would also repair damage to the pool lining as part of the clean-up.
“Drain the water. Clean up the fireworks stuff. Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again,” Burgum said.
