Activist Smears Mona Lisa With Cake In Bizarre Cross-Dressing Climate Protest

A 36-year-old man disguised as an elderly lady was arrested on Sunday after smearing cake on the protective glass surrounding the iconic Da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa, in what appears to be a bizarre attempt at environmental activism.

The man, who has yet to be identified publicly, was wearing a wig and approached the painting using a wheelchair. After a few moments, the man stood up and took out a cake from their belongings before throwing it at the glass case protecting the Mona Lisa, according to CNN.

“A visitor simulated a disability in order to use a wheelchair to approach the work, which was installed in a secure display case. The Louvre applied its usual procedures for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to admire this major work of art,” a statement from the Lourve said.

“While standing near the painting, this individual threw a pastry he had hidden in his personal belongings at the Mona Lisa's glass case. This act had no effect on the painting, which was not damaged in any way.”

Many onlookers were shocked at the sudden act, and the activist was recorded to be screaming about environmentalism as the Louvre’s security dragged the man away from the painting, the BBC reported.

“There are people who are destroying the Earth. Think about it. Artists tell you: think of the Earth. That's why I did this,” the man reportedly said.

“It took about 10 to 15 seconds for the security to actually take the man away, but the crowd seemed to panic a little bit,” Luke Sundberg, a visitor who was at the scene during the incident, said. “It was jaw-dropping, it was a lot to take in considering how historic Mona Lisa is... the moment was once in a million.”

The man was detained and sent to the Paris police’s psychiatric unit, as prosecutors confirmed on Monday that they were continuing the investigation behind the attack on the painting.

Da Vinci’s iconic painting has found itself beefing up its security for the past century, with bulletproof protective glass surrounding the painting and guards shown around its perimeter after the bottom of the canvas suffered an acid attack in the 1950s.