The aftermath of a bizarre assault on the Mona Lisa portrait was captured via video after a man threw cake over one of the world’s most famous paintings.
The incident occurred in the Louvre in Paris on Sunday and was witnessed by countless tourists present at the well-known art museum.
His motivations are not fully known but he was captured speaking out against climate change as he was led away following the shock event. Witnesses say he also scattered roses around the museum floor.
“Some people are destroying the Earth. Think of the Earth!”, the man shouted in French as he was escorted out of the premises by security.
The cake did not splatter the painting, but landed on the glass protection that covers the Leonardo da Vinci artwork.
The individual disguised himself as an old woman in a wheelchair and was captured wearing a lady’s wig while being led away.
Wheelchair users can gain closer proximity to the picture via a designated passageway.
Video footage shows a staff member wiping cream off the glass exterior while onlookers look in on astonishment.
The painting, which has been exhibited by the Louvre since 1797, is not believed to have been damaged in the assault.
The Mona Lisa is no stranger to vandalization. It was robbed from the museum in 1911 by a handyman, eventually being recovered by police two years later. A woman also threw a ceramic cup at the piece in 2009.
It also survived an acid attack in 1956 that damaged the lower half of the masterpiece. This led to the introduction of the glass casing that protects the artwork today.
The Louvre have yet to comment publicly on the incident.
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