In a dramatic act of protest, environmental activists from Greenpeace stole a wax statue of French President Emmanuel Macron from the Grevin Museum in Paris, pulling off the stunt by posing as museum employees.
According to police sources cited by AFP, the group initially entered the museum disguised as regular visitors before switching into staff uniforms.
They then wrapped Macron’s figure in a blanket and quietly exited through an emergency door.
The statue later resurfaced outside the Russian embassy in Paris, where the activists staged a demonstration against what they described as Macron’s contradictory stance on France’s trade relations with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Despite being a vocal advocate for Ukraine and a central player in Europe’s diplomatic push for a ceasefire, Macron has faced criticism for not taking firmer action against French companies that continue to import Russian gas and fertiliser.
In footage captured during the protest, activists were seen positioning the €40,000 (£33,765; $45,674) wax figure in front of the embassy, accompanied by placards condemning the president’s policies. No arrests have been made, and the statue has yet to be retrieved.
Jean-Francois Julliard, the head of Greenpeace France, defended the stunt, telling AFP, “Paris was playing a double game” by supporting Ukraine publicly while allowing ongoing trade with Russia. He added that Macron “embodies this double discourse” and “should be the first” European leader to end contracts with Russian firms.
A recent BBC investigation underscored the scale of continued fossil fuel imports from Russia to the West. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the country has earned over €883 billion (£740bn; $973bn) from such exports, with €228 billion coming from countries that have sanctioned Moscow, according to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
EU member states were the largest contributors, accounting for €209 billion, of which France alone was responsible for €17.9 billion (£15.1bn; $20.4bn).
Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe hit record levels in 2024, CREA reported, with the EU now receiving half of Russia’s LNG output.
While France continues to provide military support to Ukraine and has implemented various sanctions against Moscow, President Macron has warned of further punitive measures should Russia fail to engage in ceasefire negotiations.
