A whole series of politicians, government officials and public figures rubbed shoulders earlier this week in the British Museum in London for a private ceremony to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel. On Tuesday evening, May 13, the interior walls of the great court of the museum were drenched in a cascade of blue and white for the celebration organized by the Israeli embassy. Labor Party Politician and Minister of Defense -Zoop Maria Eagle was one of the speakers and attendees Reportedly Included reform British leader Nigel Farage, conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and television personality Jimmy Carr.
But outside, a heavily controlled protest just kept past the front gates of the museum on the corner of Great Russell Street and Bury Place a drastically different story. Behind rows of police barricades and neonbeeste officers, wear activists Keffiyehs And holding black, red, white and green signage denied the show of splendor for what Palestinians around the world have been solemnly reminded since 1948 as the Nakba (Arabic for “De Catastrophe”), when Israeli settlers permanently driven 750,000 Palestins from their home base.
Organized by the Grassroots Environmental Activist Group Energy Embargo for Palestine (EEFP), tangled the demonstration with banners who drawn attention to the massive expulsion of 1948 and the current bombing of the Israeli army of Gaza, which this week killed of 100 Palestinians. Since October 7, the relentless air strikes of Israel and the deadly siege have been on the strip Killed from 52.928 Palestinians and was injured more than 119,846.
Connor Watson, a Senior British Museum Press Officer, said Hyperallergic In an e -mail that the event was not held in collaboration with the institution.
“As a museum we also operate as a commercial location and there is a difference between events that the museum is actively organizing and that is held here on a commercial basis. This was the last one,” said Watson in a statement, and added that decisions with regard to private commercial events are made “on a strictly non-political basis.”
Watson refused to offer details about the private event and referred Hyperallergic On the Israeli embassy for more information. The embassy has not yet responded to a request for comments.
In a statement shared with HyperallergicEefp activist Mara Adam said it was “unconscious for a British public institution such as the British Museum to organize an event in honor of Israel – a state that currently committed war crimes and genocide in Gaza.”
“It is not lost to us that this Israeli party event takes place on the evening of 13 May, coinciding with the Nakba week when Palestinians were driven out of their country by Israel,” said Adam.
Although the demonstration was supported by other Palestinian interest groups, it was also confronted with counter protests of pro-Israeli groups Stop the hatred And Our Fight UK.
Eefp, like other climate emergency groups, has also been protesting The decades of business sponsorship of the British Museum of British Petroleum (BP)A company that has natural gas licenses of the Israeli Ministry of Energy. In 2023, the museum announced a partnership of 10 years £ 50 million (~ $ 63 million) with the Oliegiant. The group demands that the museum announces its ties with Israel and end its deal with BP.
Eefp also investigated the heavy police -presence during the demonstration, claiming that when participants tried to leave, officers forced them to resign and threatened them with arrest if they tried to display it again. The Metropolitan Police told Museums Association That “the conditions of public order legislation were imposed on the protest to prevent the community from the community to prevent a significant impact on the area and to prevent intimidation of those attending the event.”
Hyperallergic has contacted the metropolitan police for comment.
“We are indignant that the British state will put so much effort into suppressing our voices, while we continue to help and maintain the criminal actions of Israel against Palestinians,” said Eefp member Louise Lamb in a statement.
