The Mona Lisa is smeared in cream by protester
A man disguised in a ladies' wig jumped up from a wheelchair to throw cake at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday in what was apparently meant as a climate protest. (@Luke_sundberg_ / Body Cams+ / TMX)
A viral TikTok hoax sparked intense confusion after a user claimed the Mona Lisa was stolen while he was in Paris.
"POV: your [sic] in Paris when the Mona Lisa is stolen," he captioned a video of police cars and sirens, sending viewers into a tailspin.
"I DIDNT SEE TIKTOK FOR 2 HOURS AND THE MONA LISA GOT STOLEN!?!?" one user responded.
"THE MONA LISA WAS WHAT???" another person chimed in.
The video showed several police vehicles blaring their sirens on a crowded Parisian street, allegedly seeking out the Mona Lisa's thief.
MONA LISA LEFT SMEARED IN CAKE BUT UNHARMED AFTER APPARENT CLIMATE PROTEST STUNT TARGETS PAINTING
Visitors observe the painting 'La Joconde' The Mona Lisa by Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci on display in a gallery at Louvre on May 19, 2021 in Paris, France. (Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)
The video, posted by Ryan Narvaez, who goes by @narvanator on TikTok, has garnered more than 10 million views and sparked over 20 thousand comments, many from people who believed the hoax or played along and began to hypothesize about who or what could have "stolen" the classical artpiece.
"It was Mr. Bean," one user wrote.
"Arsene Lupin…" another suggested, alluding to the "gentleman thief" from the early 20th century writings of French author Maurice Leblanc.
A third user played on Nicolas Cage's role in the "National Treasure" series, writing, "Rumor has it the guy who took it is also gunna steal the Declaration of Independence and go on the hunt for a national treasure."
Some called out the TikToker's antics, however, informing others that the painting was still on display and the entire video was a hoax.
"LMAO it's safe just tiktok rumors," one user commented.
SPAIN UNVEILS ‘MONA LISA’ COPY DONE BY DA VINCI APPRENTICE
Visitors at The Louvre in France snap photos of Leonardo da Vinci's famed painting, the Mona Lisa. ((Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)
"GUYS THE MONA LISA DID NOT GET STOLEN," another added.
Narvaez told Fox News Digital he never expected the video to gain as much attention as it did.
"I really didn't expect the video to actually do what it did!! Really does show the era we are in with the power of social media," he said.
"It was my first time in Paris, with all my flatmates, and that day we went to the Louvre and saw her [the Mona Lisa]! And afterwards was going to the Arc de Triomphe to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour, and honestly was just in a silly, kooky mood!! As we were crossing the road few dozen emergency vehicles swarmed past, the amount that did, was just surreal to see so I captured a video of it. Which is the one you see in the TikTok.
WHO WAS THE MONA LISA IN REAL LIFE? STORY BEHIND LEONARDO DA VINCI'S FAMOUS PAINTING
A museum staffer cleans the glass protecting the Mona Lisa at the Louvre following a climate protest stunt in May 2022. (Credit: @Luke_sundberg_)
"As we were walking to get our tickets to go up I just came up with the caption, I guess she was on my mind from seeing the painting earlier that day and found it funny. My friends were hesitant for me to post in case the emergency vehicles were due to something severe happening in the city, actually we still don't know why so many had passed us!! It wasn't til the next evening outside Notre Dame in fact that my friend Jess messaged me mentioning the TikTok to me and everyone liking her comment which is when I checked and it had over 200,000 views!! Which I think before this my videos were barely surpassing 100…"
Narvaez added that he hopes people see the "light heartedness" in the video.
The hypothetical heist is far from the first time Leonardo da Vinci's legendary renaissance painting became the subject of thievery or assault.
The painting, covered by a layer of protective glass, was smeared with a slice of cake just last year when a climate activist – a young man disguised as an elderly woman in a wheelchair – launched the baked good at the painting during a protest.
The glass surrounding the painting withstood an acid attack and was pummeled by a rock in 1956 and was also later hit by a teacup in 2009.
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In 1911 Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting after hiding in a closet at the museum, but the heist ultimately failed two years later when he tried to hock the painting.
Thankfully, this time, the heist was just a hoax.
Fox News' Haley Chi-Sing and Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.
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