Greenpeace campaign: Macron wax figure as a protest in front of the Russian message!

Greenpeace campaign: Macron wax figure as a protest in front of the Russian message!

In a boldly planned campaign, Greenpeace activists stole a wax figure of President Emmanuel Macron from the Musée Grévin in Paris on June 2, 2025. The protest was directed against the ongoing gas and fertilizer imports from France from Russia. The wax figure was symbolically placed in front of the Russian message in the city to draw attention to the controversial trade relationships.

with a humorous but urgent undertone, the activists unveiled two banners: one with the inscription "Business is Business" and the other with the provocative message "Ukraine Burns, Business Goes On". These messages reflect the criticism of Macron's “double game”, in which he supports Ukraine on the one hand, but at the same time continues to maintain economic relationships with Russia.

course of the action

How Saechsische.de reports, the activists camouflaged themselves as tourists. Two women and one man crept into the museum to remove the statue through an emergency exit. They enveloped the figure in a ceiling to avoid damage during transport. The entire campaign was planned precisely, and Greenpeace promised to bring the 40,000 euro statue back quickly and without prejudice.

Jean-François Julliard, director of Greenpeace France, confirmed the kidnapping and made it clear that the figure was only "borrowed". The purpose of the protest was to point out the criticized import practices: about 80 percent of fertilizers in the EU come from Russia, from which France also benefits significantly.

political background

The action carried out by Greenpeace cannot be considered isolated: Since the beginning of the Ukraine War, the organization has repeatedly demanded increased sanctions against Russia. At the end of May 2025, the EU said goodbye to its 17th sanction package, which is directed against almost 200 ships of the Russian shadow fleet. The continued import of materials from Russia that are in the context of the war is considered problematic by many.

The criticism is primarily aimed at political decision -makers. Critics criticize the effectiveness of the existing sanctions, since Russia is still able to carry out military operations against Ukraine. Despite the pressure on the EU to reduce the trade with Russia, the existing relationships seem to remain in certain sectors.

The wax figure of the former French President Jacques Chirac, who was also stolen from the same museum in 1983, shows that this is not the first time that such actions are carried out. Greenpeace uses creative forms of protest to draw attention to urgent topics and at the same time spark public discussions.

The Macron wax figure, which is now the focus of the public, is more than just a statue - it symbolically stands for the contradictions in international politics and the economic reality that affects many countries, including France.