A wax figure of French President Emmanuel Macron was stolen from a museum in Paris by environmental activists. The incident took place at the Grevin Museum, where a group of Greenpeace members disguised themselves as museum staff. They entered the museum pretending to be tourists, then changed into work clothes, covered the statue with a blanket, and took it out through an emergency exit.
After the theft, the activists displayed the waxwork outside the Russian embassy in Paris. They used this act to criticize Macron’s stance on French companies that continue to operate in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Macron has been a strong supporter of Ukraine and has worked to promote peace efforts in Europe.
Footage captured by onlookers showed the activists placing the wax figure in front of the embassy, accompanied by signs and placards. The waxwork, valued at around €40,000 (approximately $45,674), has not been recovered, and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Jean-Francois Julliard, the head of Greenpeace France, expressed concern that Paris is not fully supporting Ukraine while allowing trade with Russia to continue. He stated that Macron represents this conflicting approach and should lead efforts among European leaders to end trade contracts with Russian companies.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has raised questions about energy imports from Russia, with reports indicating that Russia has earned significant revenue from fossil fuel exports since the war began. Despite imposing sanctions on Russia and providing military aid to Ukraine, France has been criticized for its continued economic ties with Russia.
As the situation unfolds, Macron’s government faces pressure from activists and the public to take a stronger stance against Russian business dealings, especially as discussions about further sanctions continue.