Seemingly drunk tourist climbs statue, causes $19K in damages at iconic Brussels building day after it reopened to public

An Irish tourist has broken a statue out the front of an iconic building in Brussels one day after it reopened to the public following a three-year $150 million restoration.

The man was allegedly intoxicated and was filmed trying to ride the lion statue, which also features a man with a torch, at the Brussels Stock Exchange in Belgium.

There are two of the statues located on either side of the entrance to the building and they were also restored as part of the project.

As the tourist tried to climb down, a part of the statue, believed to be the torch, broke off.

He was arrested by police at a nearby fast food restaurant and said he was unaware of the scale of the damage he had caused, according to local media.

The restoration of the statue is estimated to cost about $19,000 and the Brussels Stock Exchange plans to make the tourist pay, local newspaper Nieuwsblad reported.

Nel Vandevennet, project manager for the restoration, said the building and statues were heritage-listed.

“We would like to carry out the repairs quickly, but it will surely take a few weeks or even months,” he told news outlet VRT NWS.

He continued: “The whole building has only just been restored to its former glory, including the two lions which were in a bad way.

“We thought the sculptures would enjoy greater respect. We just think it’s very sad this happened.”

The building opened to the public on Saturday and the video of the tourist was filmed on Sunday night.

The reopened building plans to be a public place for exhibitions, performances, and other events.

There is a cafe and it is expected a restaurant will eventually be opened too.

It is also home to the Belgian Beer World museum, but it is unknown if the Irishman had visited.