A young man was filmed painting a penis on an ancient wall at Peru's Chan Chan archaeological complex as outraged locals called for action.

The vandalism took place near Trujillo city, capital of La Libertad province in north-western Peru, on or around 12th May 2025.

The site, built by the Chimu civilisation before the Inca Empire around 900 AD, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest adobe city in the Americas.

Footage shared widely online shows the man in broad daylight approaching the intricately carved wall, pulling a spray can from his pocket and calmly painting the penis while another person films him.

He is seen looking around briefly before stepping away and appearing to admire the damage before the clip ends.

Authorities confirmed they had launched an investigation and said the graffiti had since been removed.

Peru's Ministry of Culture announced a "cleaning process" had taken place but declined to address wider visible damage.

The Chan Chan Management Plan Coordination Unit condemned the act and stated that penalties for damaging cultural heritage can include imprisonment.

Officials expressed frustration at the recurring nature of such attacks and called for increased security.