Greenpeace activists on Monday stole a wax statue of French President Emmanuel Macron from the Grevin Museum in Paris and placed it outside the Russian embassy. The environmental group said the action was to protest French business ties with Russia and what they see as insufficient climate action.
In a statement, Greenpeace said Macron “does not deserve to be exhibited in this world-renowned cultural institution until he has terminated French contracts with Russia and driven an ambitious and sustainable ecological transition across Europe.”
The French presidency has not yet responded to requests for comment.
A Greenpeace spokesperson stated that the activists entered the museum as ordinary visitors on Monday morning and proceeded to the room where Macron’s wax statue was displayed.
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They swiftly removed the statue and left the building, where other activists were waiting with a vehicle.
“There was no confrontation with museum security because we had planned everything carefully to ensure it happened quickly,” the spokesperson said, adding that the museum was not informed of the action in advance.
The Grevin Museum, which its website says features wax figures of over 200 celebrities, was not immediately available for comment.
“We do not deny the political, diplomatic, and financial support of France and Europe for Ukraine,” Greenpeace France director Jean-Francois Julliard told Reuters.
“But if we want to be coherent and consistent, we cannot, on the one hand, support Ukraine and, on the other, continue to import such massive amounts of gas, chemical fertilisers, and uranium.”
France, along with Belgium and Spain, is among the main importers of LNG into Europe.
The European Union has been working to reduce its reliance on Russian gas, but some imports are governed by long-term contracts, some extending to 2041. Companies holding these contracts include France’s TotalEnergies, SEFE, and Naturgy.
Greenpeace said they intend to return the statue but could not yet confirm a specific date.
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