Egyptian man climbs Great Pyramid of Giza and throws stones at security

CAIRO -- An Egyptian man climbed to the top of the Great Pyramid of Giza, removed parts of a wooden mast put in place in the late 19th century to measure the actual height of the pyramid and threw stones at security forces, an official said.

Mostafa Waziri, the secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the man, who he had not identified, approached the Khufu pyramid Wednesday as an ordinary visitor before catching a security guard cold.

"The security forces who are stationed in the area went after him when he started to climb … they tried to discourage him from doing that, but he responded by throwing scattered stones their way," Waziri told Egyptian television channel Al-Hayat.

"For no apparent reason, he removed part of a wooden mast placed on top to show visitors the original height of the pyramid and threw it."

A video circulated on social media purportedly showed the man standing atop the pyramid, throwing what appeared to be projectiles.

He was eventually arrested and referred to the prosecution, Waziri added, although it is not yet clear if any charges will be leveled against him.

Climbing the pyramids is not explicitly outlawed, although climbers can fall afoul of several elements of the antiquities law.

In December last year, a Danish couple sparked outrage in the conservative Muslim-majority country after posing for nude photos on top of the Great Pyramid.