Suspected eco-protester smears cake on glass shielding Mona Lisa

A suspected climate protester smeared cake on the glass protecting the Mona Lisa on Sunday at the Louvre Museum and shouted at people to think of planet Earth.

Fortunately, the slice of cake did not harm Leonardo da Vinci's 16th century masterpiece.

Widely-circulated videos posted on social media appear to show a young man, wearing a disguise a wig and lipstick as a disguise, who had arrived in a wheelchair apparently to appear as an elderly woman.

The man, whose identity is unknown, was reportedly also seen throwing roses in the museum gallery.

Security guards were filmed escorting the wig-wearing activist away as he called out to the surprised visitors in the gallery: “Think of the Earth. There are people who are destroying the Earth. Think about it. Artists tell you: think of the Earth. That’s why I did this.”

Guards were then filmed cleaning the smeared cream from the glass.

ITV News has contacted the Louvre for comment.

This isn't the first time the Renaissance painting has been targeted.

The painting was stolen in 1911 by a museum employee - an event which increased the painting's international fame.

It was also damaged in an acid attack perpetrated by a vandal in the 1950s, and has since been kept behind glass.

In 2009, a Russian woman who was angry at not being able to get French citizenship threw a ceramic cup at it, smashing the cup but not harming the glass or the painting.

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