The Lincoln Memorial was closed for a few hours Saturday after college students trashed the monument.
Georgetown University held its senior ball on Friday night. Several hundred students capped off the event by gathering at the memorial to watch the sun rise Saturday, according to Fox News.
Some students also took a swim in the Reflecting Pool.
When the festivities were done, broken bottles and spilled wine dotted the steps of the iconic monument.
Hundreds of drunken children of privilege from Georgetown university trash the Lincoln Memorial closing the site and swim in the reflection pool
Affecting a military honor service.@KeithMalinak @PatUnleashed @LidiaNews @greggutfeld
#PutThatInYourPipe @TedNugent @BillOReilly pic.twitter.com/qLQwIUJQUA— SMACKWATER JACK ??? (@PatrickHenrySr) May 22, 2022
The National Park Service announced the delay in allowing access to the memorial.
“The Lincoln Memorial is closed this morning following a local university graduation celebration that left litter, broken bottles and spilled wine and champagne covering the steps,” it said, according to Fox.
Thanks to our facilities staff for the quick clean up this morning. The Lincoln Memorial is open. We appreciate your patience.
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) May 21, 2022
The memorial was reopened to the public at about 11 a.m.
“Thanks to our facilities staff for the quick cleanup this morning. The Lincoln Memorial is open. We appreciate your patience,” the park service said.
Some said the college should pay for the cost of the cleanup.
Make the university pick up the cost of the clean up if you know for sure which university it is .should have published the name of the university as well and embarrass them
— E Da Papa (@papasanabria) May 21, 2022
Please send an invoice to Georgetown.
— Edit Karacsony (@007_edit) May 21, 2022
The sunrise celebration is a tradition at Georgetown, which held its graduation ceremony on Saturday, according to The Washington Post.
Should the college have cleaned up this mess?
“We are monitoring the concerning and disappointing activity at the Lincoln Memorial,” the college said in a statement.
The college also tried to distance itself from the mess its students left behind.
“While Georgetown is one of several institutions celebrating graduation ceremonies this weekend, we have had no University-sponsored events at or around the Lincoln Memorial. We expect all members of our community to be responsible citizens of our campus and our city and be respectful of the history and institutions of Washington, D.C,” the college statement said.
