Mona Lisa smeared with cake by suspected climate protester

A man disguised as an old woman in a wheelchair stunned visitors in the Louvre after smearing cake across the Mona Lisa.

Footage shared on social media shows baffled crowds surrounding the artwork as staff remove cream from the glass case protecting the famous Leonardo Da Vinci painting.

The perpetrator is believed to have vandalised the painting as part of an apparent climate protest.

A witness, who posted a video of the aftermath of the incident on Twitter, wrote: “Maybe this is just nuts to me…but a man dressed as an old lady jumpts out of a wheelchair and attempted to smash the bulletproof glass of the Mona Lisa.

“…then proceeds to smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere before being tackled by security.”

The man, who is wearing lipstick and a wig, is seen being escorted away by security in footage posted online.

"Think of the earth, people are destroying the earth", he yells, indicating that the incident likely had an environmental motive.

It is not thought that the painting, considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, was damaged.

The world-famous artwork was painted by Italian Leonardo da Vinci but has been on display in the Paris museum for centuries.

The Louvre has been contacted for comment.