British Museum Postpones Israel and Judah Lecture After Protest Concerns
The British Museum has postponed a lecture titled “The Ancient History of Israel and Judah” after saying a substantial share of the expected audience intended to protest and disrupt the event. The London institution announced the delay on Thursday, then said on Friday that the talk would now take place early next month, though it did not give a specific date.
The museum said the decision was made to protect the program, not to diminish it. In its Thursday statement, the institution said some attendees appeared ready to “deliberately disrupt the event, preventing others from participating in good faith and undermining the purpose of the programme.” It did not identify those individuals or explain how the disruption was expected to unfold.
The British Museum also stressed that it recognizes “the importance of lawful protest and freedom of expression in a democratic society,” while saying it has a duty to ensure that events can proceed “safely, securely and without intimidation for speakers, staff and visitors alike.”
The postponement quickly drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Simon Schama, the art historian, said on X that the move sent “the wrong message.” Jewish Artists for Palestine took a different tack, asking what the purpose of a talk on such a charged subject would be if it did not invite questioning and debate.
British Museum chair George Osborne responded by sharing the institution’s statement on X and writing, “Worth reading before speculating.” The museum’s Friday update offered little additional detail, but reiterated that “exploring and understanding history lies at the heart of the British Museum’s mission.” It added that the institution works with faith, community, and national organizations across a wide range of subjects and perspectives.
The episode arrives after the museum faced scrutiny earlier this year over reports that the word “Palestinian” had been removed from certain wall texts following pressure from UK Lawyers for Israel. The museum denied that the term had been excised. For an institution built on claims of public scholarship, the latest dispute underscores how quickly questions of access, interpretation, and political pressure can converge inside a museum setting.
