Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a single felony count of property destruction involving the National Mall reflecting pool.
The 67-year-old three-time US Olympian appeared in Washington DC superior court. He was criminally charged last week after a mid-June incident at the centerpiece pool.
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The pool recently underwent a $14.7 million renovation.
It included an "American flag blue" liner added at Donald Trump's request for the 250th anniversary celebration of US independence.
Dozens of supporters gathered outside the court during the hearing.
They chanted and carried placards with slogans such as "Free Davey" and "Then they came for David Hearn."
Prosecution and Defense Arguments
US Attorney for Washington DC Jeanine Pirro asserted last Thursday that prosecutors possess significant evidence showing Hearn damaged the venue.
She claimed the Olympian forcefully pulled up the bottom liner, causing more than $1,000 in damage to a renovation that has otherwise faced issues like algae blooms and peeling material.
Defense attorney Norm Eisen, executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund, criticized the decision to prosecute Hearn.
He argued that the felony charge for touching the pool creates an alarming precedent for every American citizen.
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The defense team stated that the indictment represents an attempt by the administration to deflect blame from its own infrastructure failures.
Eisen said, "This indictment reflects the administration's efforts to scapegoat Davey and to shift blame for their own failures… The evidence will establish, as we've stated today, Mr Hearn is innocent.
