Macron's wax statue stolen and used to protest outside the Russian embassy

ParisThe wax statue of French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the most popular at the Paris wax museum, the Musée Grévin. But the statue disappeared on Monday and can no longer be seen. Two women and a man, who first posed as tourists and then disguised themselves as museum workers, carried it away, concealed under a blanket, and left through an emergency exit, according to French media reports. A person was called to the museum to claim responsibility for the action on behalf of Greenpeace.

Greenpeace activists later used the wax statue of the French president in a protest outside the Russian embassy in Paris to denounce France's continued import of gas and fertilizers from Russia, despite its political and military support in Ukraine. In images released by the French press, recorded by the AFP news agency, two men are seen carefully removing the statue of Macron from a white van to place it in front of the Russian embassy.

"It was a very well-organized operation, as if they were a commando unit. At least six people entered, paid the entrance fee, and, diverting the attention of the security agents, took the opportunity to steal the statue," explained the museum's director, Yves Delhommeau, who appeared before the media at the exact spot fifty years ago when something similar happened to them. "There was no violence. [Greenpeace] called us quickly to claim responsibility for the action and to tell us that we would recover the statue safe and sound, but that they couldn't tell us when," he added.

Greenpeace denounces that France has increased imports of gas and chemical fertilizers from Russia in recent years and that it continues to depend on that country for reprocessed uranium. "These imports indirectly finance the Kremlin's war machine, which continues its deadly attacks in Ukraine," the organization stressed in a statement on social media. "For us, France is playing a double game. And Emmanuel Macron embodies that double standard: he supports Ukraine, but encourages French companies to continue trading with Russia," said Jean-François Julliard, director general of Greenpeace France. However, he clarified that this was not a theft, but a loan, and that they will return the statue in good condition, but did not specify when. At this point, its whereabouts are unknown.

The statue, valued at around 40,000 euros, had been in a room recreating the presidential office at the Élysée Palace since 2018, alongside statues of other politicians such as François Hollande and Jacques Chirac. Despite the theft, the Museu Grévin remained open on Monday.