The environmental group Greenpeace has angered Peru with its latest stunt. Both Peruvian government officials and the Peruvian people have lashed out against Greenpeace after the group sneaked unto the Nazca Lines archeological site to place a political statement now lost amidst the anger of thousands of Peruvians.

The group is in Peru as the capital Lima hosts the 20th session of the Conference of Parties on international climate change.

On Dec. 8, Greenpeace members sneaked into the restricted area in which the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located. The group of activists left a message that said: “Time for Change! The Future is Renewable. Greenpeace.” According to the Andean Air Mail and Peruvian Times, the large banner was placed mere meters away from the iconic hummingbird image.

Greenpeace then posted the image to their Facebook page, inciting Peruvians' anger online.

The Maria Reiche Association, which oversees the conservation of the archeological site, chastised the organization in picture's comments section, explaining that the nearest highway to the site is more than half a mile away and in between lay various other lines.

“Can you secure that no damage was done, considering you arrived at the place when it was still dark? The Nasca desert has a few dozen figures but thousands of even more impressive lines,” the Maria Reiche Association said.

Greenpeace responded by saying no damage was done to the archeological site.

“The message was written in cloth letters that laid on the ground without touching the Nazca lines. It was assessed by an experienced archaeologist, ensuring not even a trace was left behind,” the group explained in the comments.

However, this was not enough to soothe the ire of Peruvian officials.

Peru’s Culture Ministry issued a statement condemning Greenpeace’s actions.

“After the illegal, inconsiderate and premeditated action by the environmental group Greenpeace, the area has been seriously affected,” the ministry said.

They then “requested to prevent those responsible from leaving the country."

“Peru respects freedom of expression, provided it does not undermine the nation’s heritage or violates any of the laws," the statement continued.

Luis Jaime Castillo, the deputy culture minister, called the incident “a true slap in the face at everything Peruvians consider sacred” and said the government would seek charges against the perpetrators, reports The Telegraph. The charge of attacking national monuments is punishable by six years in prison.

“[The lines] are absolutely fragile. They are black rocks on a white background. You walk there and the footprint is going to last hundreds or thousands of years,” Castillo said. “And the line that they have destroyed is the most visible and most recognized of all.”

Following the negative backlash, Greenpeace issued an apology.

“We fully understand that this looks bad. Rather than relay an urgent message of hope and possibility to the leaders gathering at the Lima UN climate talks, we came across as careless and crass,” the statement said, adding that Dr. Kumi Niadoo, the International Executive Director of Greenpeace, would travel to Lima to speak with government officials.

Watch a video of Greenpeace activists laying down the banner, obtained by BuzzFeed’s David Mack:

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