Mona Lisa Smeared with Cake by Vandal Disguised as Old Lady

Wren Graves
·2 min read
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The post Mona Lisa Smeared with Cake by Vandal Disguised as Old Lady appeared first on Consequence.

Mona Lisa had a new reason to smile on Sunday when she received an unexpected serving of cake. A climate activist attempted to vandalize the world-famous painting, disguising himself as a wheelchair-bound elderly lady to conduct a gateau ambush. Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece remains undamaged, as the Mona Lisa is housed inside bullet proof glass.

The attack was captured in photos and videos taken by other people attending the Louvre, some of which were posted on social media. It is believed that the activist impersonated an elderly woman in order to access the handicap viewing area immediately next to the painting. Once in position, he produced a cake that had been snuck in with his personal belongings, stood up, and smeared it across the glass.

Security quickly apprehended the activist, who threw red roses at their feet and can be heard in videos speaking in French. According to CBS News, he said, “Think about the Earth. There are people who are destroying the Earth. Think about it … all artists, think about the Earth — this is why I did this. Think about the planet.” Check out footage of the incident below.

Yesterday the Louvre issued a statement confirming that the painting received no damage. As for the perpretrator, Parisian law enforcement officials detained the 36-year-old man, who is being evaluated by a police psychiatric unit. The investigation remains open, and he may face charges of damaging a cultural artifact.

Mona Lisa Smeared with Cake by Vandal Disguised as Old Lady
Wren Graves

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