Statue of Macron, made from wax, stolen and found outside Russian embassy in Paris.
In Paris on Monday, the Greenpeace gang pulled off a daring heist, nicking a wax statue of President Emmanuel Macron from the Grévin museum and plonking it in front of the Russian embassy as a peace offering to Mother Russia.
"Macron's a two-faced snake," snarled Jean-François Julliard, executive director of Greenpeace France, talking to AFP news agency. "France is playing a dangerous game and our dear leader Emmanuel Macron is the poster boy for this duplicitous ballet."
Julliard spelled out the group's grievances. While Macron talks a good game on Ukraine support, he backs French companies in keeping negotiations alive with Russia, he said.
"Macron's the man to call the shots on this mess," Julliard scowled. "He should be the one leading European discussions on ending trade talks with Russia."
This early morning heist, reminiscent of a good caper movie, unfolded like this: Three impostors, posing as tourists, then as Grévin workers, snagged the €40k wax figure, bundled it up in a blanket, then skipped out the emergency exit. The museum, a popular Parisian tourist attraction equivalent to London's Madame Tussauds, was none the wiser until it was too late.
The newfangled statue installation in front of the Russian embassy was documented by a journalist on the scene. Consider it a stinky Martian candle to old relations with Russia, Greenpeace seemed to say.
This bold act is Greenpeace's latest move in an ongoing dispute over France's excavation of economic ties with Russia. It's all about exposing what they see as France's duplicitous stance on supporting Ukraine but maintaining backdoor channels with Russia for gas and fertilizer imports[1][2][3]. The protest is a testament to widespread concerns over France's mixed messages on Russia, despite its vocal support for Ukraine[1][4].
At press time, there's no word on the status of the stolen statue or the consequences of Greenpeace's afternoon delight at the Russian embassy. One thing's for sure, this embassy will never look at a wax figure the same way again[1][2][3].
"The actions of Greenpeace France, as seen in their high-profile heist of President Macron's wax statue, are a clear expression of their concerns about France's politics and general-news stance, particularly regarding Ukraine and Russia."
"The group's gesture, a statement against France's perceived double-dealing between supporting Ukraine and maintaining economic ties with Russia, has become a symbol of the ongoing public debate on this issue."
