VIDEO: Frenchman throws cake at Mona Lisa 'for the planet'
A visitor to the Louvre art gallery in Paris threw cake at the Mona Lisa, in a stunt he said was "for the planet".
Videos taken by visitors to the famous gallery show the aftermath of the stunt, in which a young man reportedly stood up from a wheelchair and smeared cake and cream on the glass protecting Da Vinci's painting, before throwing roses.
Being led out by security guards, the man can be heard shouting: "Think about the Earth. There are people who are destroying the Earth . . . That's why I did this. Think of the planet."
The painting is protected by a glass screen, so was undamaged. Later videos show security guards at the Louvre cleaning cream off the security screen.
The incident is believed to have taken place on Sunday afternoon.
At 1:30 pm, a Twitter user wrote: "I just saw a man throwing a piece of cake at the Mona Lisa".
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
Several hours later, he published video showing the aftermath, adding: "It seems unreal to me, but a man dressed as an old lady got up from a wheelchair and tried to break the protective glass of the Mona Lisa. He then spread cake on the glass, and threw roses around him before being subdued by security."
Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?😂 pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm
— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
Several other Twitter uses also posted video of the aftermath of the incident.
Around 9 million visitors per year come to the Louvre - the world's most-visited museum - and for many the Mona Lisa is the highlight of the their visit.
She is housed in a separate wing of the gallery, protected behind a glass screen, and has been the victim of several attemps at damage - in August 2009, a tourist threw a cup against the protective glass; in 1974, when the painting was in Tokyo an attempt was made to damage the oil with a red spray; in 1957, a Bolivian threw a stone at the painting, damaging it slightly.
It has been on display at the Louvre since 1797 and is the property of the French state. It has been in France since 1519, when its painter Leonardo Da Vinci died at Amboise while working for the French king.
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Videos taken by visitors to the famous gallery show the aftermath of the stunt, in which a young man reportedly stood up from a wheelchair and smeared cake and cream on the glass protecting Da Vinci's painting, before throwing roses.
Being led out by security guards, the man can be heard shouting: "Think about the Earth. There are people who are destroying the Earth . . . That's why I did this. Think of the planet."
The painting is protected by a glass screen, so was undamaged. Later videos show security guards at the Louvre cleaning cream off the security screen.
The incident is believed to have taken place on Sunday afternoon.
At 1:30 pm, a Twitter user wrote: "I just saw a man throwing a piece of cake at the Mona Lisa".
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
Several hours later, he published video showing the aftermath, adding: "It seems unreal to me, but a man dressed as an old lady got up from a wheelchair and tried to break the protective glass of the Mona Lisa. He then spread cake on the glass, and threw roses around him before being subdued by security."
Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?😂 pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm
— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
Several other Twitter uses also posted video of the aftermath of the incident.
Around 9 million visitors per year come to the Louvre - the world's most-visited museum - and for many the Mona Lisa is the highlight of the their visit.
She is housed in a separate wing of the gallery, protected behind a glass screen, and has been the victim of several attemps at damage - in August 2009, a tourist threw a cup against the protective glass; in 1974, when the painting was in Tokyo an attempt was made to damage the oil with a red spray; in 1957, a Bolivian threw a stone at the painting, damaging it slightly.
It has been on display at the Louvre since 1797 and is the property of the French state. It has been in France since 1519, when its painter Leonardo Da Vinci died at Amboise while working for the French king.
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