Environmental activists from Greenpeace France staged a dramatic protest by absconding with a wax figure of President Emmanuel Macron from the Grévin Museum in Paris. The protest aimed to draw attention to France’s ongoing business relations with Russia, particularly in sectors like gas, chemical fertilizers, and nuclear power, which they argue contribute to financing the war in Ukraine. Despite Macron’s public shows of solidarity with Ukraine, Greenpeace contends that France persists in financially benefitting Moscow, undermining efforts for peace and strategic sovereignty in Europe.
The activists executed their plan without confrontations by infiltrating the museum as ordinary visitors, draping the wax figure in a blanket, and swiftly transporting it to a waiting car. A spokesperson confirmed that the museum had not been alerted to the action beforehand. The waxwork figure was later displayed outside the Russian Embassy in Paris, accompanied by protesting supporters. While Greenpeace indicated that they would return the figure to the museum, the timeline for this remained uncertain. The value of the wax figure is estimated at €40,000 ($45,674), and as of now, no arrests have occurred, though the statue has not been recovered.
Meanwhile, France continues to be a key importer of liquefied natural gas from Russia, despite European leaders, including Macron, advocating for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. Notably, research indicates that Russia has garnered over €883 billion ($973 billion) from fossil fuel sales since invading Ukraine, with France contributing approximately €17.9 billion ($20.4 billion). Greenpeace’s director, Jean-Francois Julliard, stressed the contradictory nature of supporting Ukraine while maintaining substantial imports from Russia.
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