A man disguised as an elderly woman has thrown a cake at the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris.
The iconic Leonardo da Vinci painting was undamaged in the bizarre attack, which left cream smeared across its protective glass.
The perpetrator sprung from a wheelchair wearing a wig and lipstick as he threw the cake, much to the surprise of shocked onlookers.
While being led from the scene by security, he urged people to "think of the earth".
Witnesses took to social media to describe the "jaw-dropping" incident.
One user said: "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. ???"
The activist, was also seen throwing roses in the gallery, before being escorted away by security.
He said: "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 Paris prosecutor's office confirmed on Monday that a 36-year-old man was detained and sent to a police psychiatric unit, adding it had started an investigation into the damage of cultural artefacts.
The Renaissance painting had glass installed in the 1950s to protect it after an acid attack.
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