Greenpeace Drops Wax Statue of Emmanuel Macron Outside EDF Headquarters to Protest France-Russia Ties

The wax statue of Emmanuel Macron, stolen the previous day from the Grévin Museum, was placed on Tuesday evening, June 3, in front of EDF’s headquarters in Paris by Greenpeace activists. The stunt aimed to denounce ongoing economic ties between France and Russia—particularly in the sectors of energy, nuclear power, gas, and chemical fertilizers.

A Carefully Orchestrated Staging

Valued at around €40,000, the wax figure of the French president was taken Monday morning by members of the environmental NGO. Later that night, the statue was transported in a crate and briefly displayed on the forecourt of the energy giant’s headquarters, accompanied by a sign reading: “Putin–Macron: Radioactive Allies.” The previous day, the activists had also placed the statue outside the Russian Embassy in Paris’s 16th arrondissement for a few minutes, unfurling a Russian flag, throwing fake banknotes, and holding up a sign that read: “Business is business.”

“It Was a Loan,” Says Greenpeace

“We’ve returned Emmanuel Macron’s statue because, as we said from the beginning, it was only a loan,” said Jean-François Julliard, Executive Director of Greenpeace France. “We informed both the Grévin Museum management and law enforcement. It’s now up to them to retrieve it,” he added.

Targeting Ongoing Franco-Russian Trade

Greenpeace aims to highlight France’s continued imports of raw materials from Russia despite the geopolitical context. “French companies are still importing enriched uranium to run nuclear plants, as well as natural uranium via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan through Russia, not to mention liquefied natural gas and chemical fertilizers,” said Julliard.

Two individuals were arrested on Monday in connection with the theft, according to a source close to the case. The Grévin Museum contacted police immediately after being called by a Greenpeace member claiming responsibility for the action.