President Donald Trump is calling for serious criminal penalties for those he says vandalized the newly renovated Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. In a Truth Social post, the president lamented the state of the pool, which he said had been vandalized.

The recent $14 million renovation is one of many architectural projects in the nation’s capital that Trump has boosted. However, the pool’s bottom blue layer is peeling off, and there have been issues with algae blooms.

Investigation and Charges

Prosecutors in Washington, DC, haven’t yet formally brought charges, but the Justice Department will need to decide how aggressively it will pursue people who were arrested and cited over the weekend. The US Park Police have issued citations for misdemeanors, including vandalizing, disorderly conduct, or defacing public property.

However, Trump’s post suggested that the cases could be charged as more serious crimes if US Attorney Jeanine Pirro decides they should be. A destruction of government property offense could be charged as a felony in federal court if the damage is pricey, carrying a maximum fine of up to $250,000 or 10 years in prison.

One person, David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, was arrested after he touched a flap of blue material that partially detached from the bottom of the pool. Hearn denied vandalizing the pool and said he was simply curious.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.