Peruvians are upset over a 15th-century mural under UNESCO protection

A man has committed a crime by drawing a (male) genital organ on a wall in a centuries-old Peruvian city recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The man was filmed spraying paint on one of the original walls of Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city 500 kilometers north of Lima that is visited by thousands of people a month, the Telegraph reports.

Peru's Ministry of Culture said the culprit showed "a grave lack of respect for our history and cultural heritage, as well as a violation of regulations that protect archaeological heritage sites."

Some Peruvians questioned how he managed to damage the wall without being challenged, while others said they were disappointed that the country was not better protected.

Video of the incident was widely shared on social media. The perpetrator could face up to six years in prison if caught.

Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimú kingdom before it fell to the Incas in the 15th century, and remains one of Peru's most important archaeological sites.

Unesco describes it as the largest city in pre-Columbian America, stretching for kilometers and divided into several "citadels" by thick walls.

The paint attack comes just months after a man smashed the 12-Corner Stone, a famous Inca artifact in the city of Cusco. /Telegraph