In the heart of Paris, the equestrian statue of Joan of Arc was unexpectedly disarmed at Place Saint-Augustin.
In the middle of the day, a man stole the bronze sword held by the iconic figure.
Around 10 a.m., a man climbed onto the equestrian statue of Joan of Arc and grabbed the blade of her sword.
He was quickly detained a short time later by police, according to Le Parisien, confirmed by AFP.
Barehanded, he allegedly broke the sword with a single strike, causing the blade to shatter into multiple pieces.
The man then reportedly fled into an adjacent street, still clutching the damaged weapon, until he was stopped by a passing patrol.
Created at the turn of the 20th century by sculptor Paul Dubois, it is the only statue in Paris depicting Joan of Arc wielding a sword in her right hand. »