Police questioned a 28-year-old woman who allegedly scribbled "AE911" with a sharpie on Eugene Delacroix's Liberty. [Reuters]

  • That_Anonymous_Coward

    And this is why we can’t have nice things.

    • eldritch

      Fortunately we still can, thanks to art restoration techniques. Apparantly the damage was “superficial”.

      • Boundegar

        But…  paintings are superficial.

  • chgoliz

    I’m sure she thinks of herself as conservative and law-abiding.  And somehow Obama is at fault.

    Edited to add: no info on if this alleged perpetrator is French or American. If American: what was she doing in an art museum in France? Not the usual Tea Party destination.

    • s2redux

      The Beeb reports that the local prosecutor said she has “a French-sounding name.”

      • chgoliz

        Wow, what a weird factoid to report.  Is it meant to be a clue that she is, in fact, French (or maybe Belgian, since it’s in the north) without officially revealing her name?

        • EH

          To be sure, not every country shares the U.S.’s predilection for broadcasting the identities of people upon mere accusation.

          • chgoliz

            But this is neither fish nor fowl: not reporting the name, and yet hinting at it.  The BBC didn’t have to say anything at all.

            Edited to add: your prejudice is showing….the link was to a BBC report, but you somehow assumed it had to be from the US.

          • EH

            I wasn’t the one decrying the lack of identification.

        • Antinous / Moderator

          What makes it ridiculous is that it makes you think of something like Ghislaine de la Rochefoucault, but the most common surname in France is Martin, with Thomas, Robert and Richard also in the top ten.

          • http://twitter.com/randomhuman random

            Because at one time it was hard to say if it was the French ruling Britain or the British ruling France, or if there was even any distinction between the two peoples.

  • Saltine

    “when I hear the word culture, I reach for my gun”

  • http://twitter.com/iconomaque Francois-Charles

    The inscription has already been removed. The painting is OK.
    https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=MuseeLouvre

  • mattgriffin

    I think if I saw someone doing that, I would tackle them out of instinct.

    • eldritch

      I’m not normally a violent person, but I’m also not sure I could stop at simply tackling them. There would be blood.

      • http://twitter.com/coherent_light Scott Elyard

        Let the punishment fit the crime. Mark the perpetrator with a sharpie!

        • chgoliz

          Can I sign up for the scrubbing-it-off-the-hard-way part?

          • Gene Poole

            too much work. Use a belt sander.

  • http://twitter.com/randomhuman random

    Hey America, keep your crazy off of our stuff m’kay?

  • flickerKuu

    I think they should tattoo “defacer” to her forehead.

    • Alexander Janssen

      Why would anyone do that any people?
      Paying for restoration and a simple conviction for trespassing and property damage should be enough. Could be coupled with a few days of community service. I suggest removing Graffitis from public buildings.

      • Antinous / Moderator

        This is becoming a common form of protest, and I’d prefer to keep our cultural heritage intact, thanks. She can do ten years in prison.