A man inside Chicago's Bean? Viral hoax floods politician with calls.

Have you heard about the man inside The Bean?

A small group of protestors have gone viral over the past week for claiming there is a man living inside of Chicago's Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park, commonly known as "The Bean."

Sporting all-black outfits and wielding homemade cardboard signs, the group has been handing out flyers and encouraging the public to contact Chicago Alderman Brendan Riley to "free" the man inside the sculpture. The protests began during Lollapalooza, which ran July 31 through Aug. 3.

"There is a man inside The Bean," one of the protesters said in a video that has garnered thousands of views on social media. "We're calling for his immediate release. In 2004, Anish Kapoor, the chief architect of The Bean, stole a baby and put that baby inside The Bean. We are calling for the immediate release of the man trapped inside The Bean, so please, spread the good word."

In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Riley said the "online hoax" has led to an influx of calls, proving to be a "distraction for my office from the real work we do for the 42nd Ward and City of Chicago each day."