Greenpeace activists steal Macron’s statue from French Grevin Museum

Greenpeace activists staged a daring protest on June 2, stealing a wax figure of French President Emmanuel Macron from the Grevin Museum in Paris and placing it in front of the Russian embassy as part of a pro-Ukraine demonstration.

Three activists—two women and a man—entered the museum posing as tourists, Caliber.Az reports via French media. 

Once inside, they changed into worker uniforms to blend in with the staff. The group then managed to slip out through an emergency exit, carrying the 40,000-euro-statue, which had been covered with a blanket to avoid detection. The activists set the statue up outside the Russian embassy in an act of defiance, calling on France to halt its gas and fertilizer imports from Russia.

The protest is part of Greenpeace's broader campaign to put pressure on Western nations to cut trade ties with Moscow in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Jean-Francois Julliard, the head of Greenpeace France, commented on the action, stating, “For us, France is playing a double game.” He continued, “Emmanuel Macron embodies this double discourse: he supports Ukraine but encourages French companies to continue trading with Russia.”

Julliard further explained that the activists specifically targeted Macron due to his influential position in global diplomacy. He added that the French president “should be the first” among European leaders to end trade contracts with Russia. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, France has been one of the strongest voices supporting Kyiv, with President Macron playing a pivotal role in pushing for a unified European response. This move comes in stark contrast to US President Donald Trump’s earlier controversial negotiations with Russia.

By Naila Huseynova