Algeria's Minister of Culture Ez Al Din al-Maheoubi said the man was caught vandalising the Ain El Fouara monument, which was built over 120 years ago in the city of Setif.

“His motive was indeed religious, but this does not excuse his actions”, al-Maheoubi said.

On Monday, police were trying to stop the man, who was attempting to chisel off the statue’s breasts with a hammer, from continuing his damage.

A crowd quickly formed and people began to take videos, which went viral in Algeria.

The Algerian police force ended up having to restrain the man before arresting him.

This is not the first time Ain El Foura was defaced on the grounds of religion. On April 22 1997, the statue was damaged in a bomb blast, which was blamed on Islamists. On February 28 2006 a man with a hammer damaged the statue, claiming to do so under religious grounds.