What unfolded was as surreal as it was bewildering: on the morning of Friday, January 2nd, in Place Saint-Augustin, just steps from Gare Saint-Lazare, an unusual scene took place. 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.
According to Le Parisien, security footage shows the suspect forcefully shaking the bronze horse, then climbing onto the sculpture. 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. The sword has been recovered.
After being taken into custody at the police station in the 8th arrondissement, the individual will undergo a behavioral assessment to determine the potential presence of psychiatric issues, according to reports. Meanwhile, the city hall of the 8th arrondissement has announced it will file a formal complaint.
According to Le Parisien, Karen Taïeb, the deputy mayor in charge of heritage, announced that an expert assessment of the bronze sword will take place in the coming days to determine whether it can be restored. If needed, it will be carefully recreated to match the original.
Owned by the Musée d’Orsay and registered to the City of Paris, the sculpture had been recently restored in 2021. 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.
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