Park Service warns people not to skate on ice at National Mall Reflecting Pool
The sub-zero temperatures over the weekend led to the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall to freeze over the weekend, tempting people to ice skate and play ice hockey.
But the National Park Service, which oversees the National Mall, is warning people not to skate on top of the ice.
"Skating is prohibited at all times on the Tidal Basin and at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Ice skating is permitted at Constitution Gardens only when posted but it has not been determined to be opened at this time," the Park Service says in an alert on its website.
The New York Times published a story about the situation Monday after the Park Service warned that a number of people who recently attempted to skate or walk on the ice, fell through into water, though no one was injured.
But even House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, couldn't resist the call of the ice. He broke the rule and walked onto the ice on at the Reflecting Pool over the weekend, according to a series of photos he posted on his Instagram account with the caption, "Do you want to know how cold it is in Washington, DC.? It's so cold the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is frozen."