Brussels statue allegedly damaged by young Irishman during night-time climb

A young Irishman has been arrested in Brussels, Belgium after he climbed on to a recently renovated statue outside the stock exchange on Sunday and caused part of it to fall off, according to local media.

The damage to the statue came just a day after the official reopening of the city’s historic bourse building following a €90 million restoration project, which included work on the now damaged statue. The bourse management wants the young man, who reports allege was intoxicated, to pay for the repairs.

Video posted online shows the young man, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, clambering carefully and slowly over the statue, which depicts a naked man holding a torch while standing beside a lion.

While trying to negotiate his night-time climb, the man leans on the torch, causing it and some of the lower arm of the statue to break off. According to local reports, police were alerted and man was arrested some time later in a fast-food restaurant, reportedly unaware of the damage he had caused.

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The restoration of the lion cost €17,600 and the management of the bourse wants to recover the costs of the repairs from the person who damaged it, according Het Nieuwsblad.

The bourse building in central Brussels includes a beer museum and a co-working space. Its restoration was a major undertaking, with the conclusion of the project marked by special events on Saturday.

As part of the celebration, visitors were encouraged to drink Belgian beer, which has been listed by Unesco as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.