A man disguised an an elderly, wheelchair-bound woman tried to vandalize the “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday. He then claimed to be an environmental protester.
The 36-year-old man responsible for the attack jumped out of the wheelchair he was using and reportedly tried to smash the bulletproof glass that the “Mona Lisa” is behind. Then he smeared cake on the glass, Yahoo News reported.
“Think about the Earth. There are people who are destroying the Earth. Think about it. All the artists tell you to think about the Earth. All the artists think about the Earth. That’s why I did this. Think about the planet,” the man shouted, Euro News reported.
Maybe this is just nuts to me?but an man dressed as an old lady jumps out of a wheel chair and attempted to smash the bullet proof glass of the Mona Lisa. Then proceeds to smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere all before being tackled by security. ???? pic.twitter.com/OFXdx9eWcM
— Lukeee? (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
The man’s identity has not been confirmed, but after the vandalism, he was escorted out of the museum by security.
There is no video of the incident; however, videos of the aftermath, including museum staff wiping the frosting off of the glass, were circulated on Twitter.
The vandal was arrested and has been placed in psychiatric care, Yahoo reported.
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It is unclear what charges the man will face, and officials from the Louvre did not comment on the incident.
However, the Paris prosecutor’s office did say that an inquiry into “an attempt to vandalize a cultural work” has been opened.
Since the cake was smeared on the glass, there was no harm done to Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting.
This is not the first time that someone has tried to harm the “Mona Lisa,” which is why there is protective glass over it now.
The revered painting was actually stolen in 1911 by a museum employee, the New York Post reported.
In 1956 there was another attack on the painting when a Bolivian man threw a rock at it, which damaged the left elbow, Yahoo reported.
By 2005, the painting was put in a reinforced case that controls temperature and humidity.
In 2009, despite the case surrounding it, a Russian woman threw a teacup at the painting, which merely scratched the case.
Now this environmental activist can add his name to the list of those who have tried to vandalize the “Mona Lisa.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.