Interior Secretary Doug Burgum vowed “full” prosecution Saturday for vandals who allegedly slashed a 350-foot long gash into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and defaced the area with a slew of anti-Trump graffiti.
“When people are attacking it [the Reflecting Pool], it is like an attack on our country,” Burgum said. “These are our most sacred monuments, and they [the perpetrators] are gonna be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Burgum discussed the damage and the Trump administration’s response to it during a “Fox & Friends Weekend” appearance, revealing that authorities have made seven arrests, issued multiple citations and filed 18 police reports in connection with the vandalism.
According to Burgum, the damage extended roughly 350 feet along the pool’s industrial rubber liner, which he said investigators believe was cut with a box cutter.
Images show some of the anti-Trump markings the vandals left behind, including “8647,” interpreted by many as a call to violence or a call to remove the president.
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“The Reflecting Pool [is] part of the 1922 Lincoln Memorial,” Burgum said.
“When people are using box cutters to do vandalism on this thing, it’s the same as if they were throwing paint on Lincoln’s statue in the eyes of the law.”
President Donald Trump addressed the vandalism on Friday, saying the newly restored Reflecting Pool had been deliberately targeted.
“They ripped a scar 350-feet-long through the side of the Reflecting Pool,” Trump said.
“These are the people we’re dealing with. These are people that want to destroy our country.”
Burgum said the vandalism came despite a concerted effort by the Trump administration to restore and beautify the nation’s capital ahead of the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
He said more than 50 parks and circles have been restored, 48 monuments repaired, 22 fountains returned to service and roughly 1,700 lights fixed throughout the National Mall.
Fencing now surrounds the Reflecting Pool amid an investigation into the damage.
Burgum said the fence was installed in part to protect the pool and in preparation for July 4 festivities, which will include fireworks on either side of the monument.
