Greenpeace France Members Disguise Themselves as Visitors
Display Macron Wax Figure in Front of Russian Embassy as Protest
Promise to "Return the Figure Safely" After the Demonstration
On June 2 (local time), Greenpeace activists in France secretly removed a wax figure of President Emmanuel Macron from a wax museum in Paris and displayed it in front of the Russian Embassy as part of an anti-Russia protest.
According to AFP and other sources, two female and one male Greenpeace members disguised themselves as visitors and entered the Grevin Museum in Paris, where the wax figure was displayed. Their actions resembled a spy operation. Inside, they changed into staff uniforms, covered the wax figure of President Macron?worth approximately 40,000 euros (about 60 million won)?with something, and then removed it through an emergency exit.
Afterwards, they installed the figure in front of the Russian Embassy in France, unfurled a Russian flag behind the Macron figure, and held a banner reading "Business as usual." They also staged a performance by scattering fake banknotes. AFP explained that the protest was intended to denounce the economic ties between France and Russia in the gas, chemical fertilizer, and nuclear sectors.
Greenpeace pointed out that it is contradictory for the French government to claim political support for Ukraine while continuing to import liquefied natural gas (LNG), chemical fertilizers, and uranium from Russia. As of 2024, France is one of the largest importers of Russian LNG in Europe, with some contracts set to continue until 2041.
On the 2nd (local time), Greenpeace activists in France installed a wax figure of President Macron in front of the Russian Embassy in Ju, France. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France, stated, "We do not deny that France and Europe are supporting Ukraine diplomatically and financially. However, if consistency is desired, they must stop importing large quantities of Russian gas and other products while supporting Ukraine." He added, "Macron symbolizes this double standard. He claims to support Ukraine, but at the same time encourages French companies to continue doing business with Russia."
A spokesperson for the Grevin Museum told AFP that the Greenpeace activists "prepared the operation very thoroughly" and promised that the Macron figure would be "safely returned" after the protest.
Meanwhile, the Grevin Museum, located on Boulevard Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, is a historic wax museum founded in 1882 by journalist Arthur Meyer. The museum features lifelike wax figures of prominent figures in culture, politics, and the arts, including Napoleon III, Charlemagne, Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, and Beyonce.
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