British Museum postpones Jewish Culture Month event over protest fears
The museum said the lecture will be rescheduled after being told many registered attendees planned to disrupt it, citing security concerns.
- On Thursday, the British Museum postponed its 'Ancient Israel and Judah' lecture scheduled for May 28, citing security concerns after learning that a significant proportion of registered attendees intended to deliberately disrupt the event.
- The lecture was part of Jewish Culture Month, an initiative organized by the Board featuring more than 100 events celebrating Jewish heritage across the United Kingdom from May 15 through June 16.
- British Museum Assistant Press Officer Lucy McDonald said the museum is rescheduling rather than canceling the event, noting the decision was jointly made with security partners to safeguard the program's integrity.
- Shimon Cohen, campaign director for Shechita UK, criticized the postponement, asking, 'Why are we signaling that intimidation, vitriolic abuse, and violence against Jews works?' Simon Sebag Montefiore called the move evidence of 'dark times.'
- The postponement marks a blow to the London Jewish community, which has faced rising antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel; Israeli spokesperson Alex Gandler called the stifling of academic truths 'shameful.
36 Articles
36 Articles
British Museum Confirms New Date for Jewish Culture Month Event Initially Postponed Amid Fears of Protests
May 6, 2026, London, England, United Kingdom: General view of the British Museum. Photo: ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Connect The British Museum has rescheduled a Jewish Culture Month event initially postponed due to concerns that the gathering would be disrupted by protesters. A lecture on the ancient history of Israel and Judah was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday at the museum’s BP Lecture Theatre, but the museum canceled the eve…
An event on the history of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judea, scheduled for the month of Jewish culture, risked attracting protests and clashes: postponed
Israel Unwired
J-WireWar Against Israel Targets the British Museum
Historical truths backed up by ancient artifacts are now pitted against a lethal echo chamber. ( May 28, 2026 / JNS ) Fury has exploded among prominent British Jews and others over the decision by the British Museum in London to postpone a lecture that was scheduled to be given this week. Paul Collins, the museum’s keeper of the Department of the Middle East, was due to give a lunchtime talk on “Ancient Israel and Judah” as part of Jewish Cultu…
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