British Museum postpones lecture on Ancient Israel, citing security concerns amid feared protests,

Significant number of RSVPs were believed to be potential protesters, museum says, adding that it’ll reschedule event when safety of audience and integrity of program can be ensured

The British Museum in London postponed a lecture on “Ancient Israel and Judah in the British Museum” scheduled for Thursday as part of Jewish Culture Month, citing security concerns.

Paul Collins, Keeper of the Department of the Middle East, was slated to give an hour-long talk on how “the histories of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah can be illuminated by the archaeology and art of the wider ancient Middle East,” focusing on the artifacts preserved in the museum.

The museum said in a Wednesday announcement that the event would take place at an unspecified later date.

“In recent days, we were informed that a significant proportion of registered attendees were individuals intending to deliberately disrupt the event, preventing others from participating in good faith and undermining the purpose of the programme,” the statement read.

“The British Museum fully recognises the importance of lawful protest and freedom of expression in a democratic society,” it added. “Equally, we have a responsibility to ensure that events hosted within the Museum can proceed safely, securely and without intimidation for speakers, staff and visitors alike.”

Members of Jewish Artists For Palestine were reportedly registered for the event, but it was unclear which groups were planning protests.

Jewish Culture Month is the first event of its kind in the United Kingdom, organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The festivities opened on May 15 and run through June 16, and include more than 100 events celebrating Jewish heritage, creativity and culture across the UK.

Major British institutions, including the British Library, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum and the BBC, are participating.

The museum pledged to continue supporting Jewish Culture Month.

British Museum Assistant Press Officer Lucy McDonald told JTA that the museum could not comment on “operational or security arrangements” and referred to the statement saying that the event would be rescheduled “to a later date when it can take place in an environment that properly safeguards both the audience experience and the integrity of the program itself.”

In a statement responding to the lecture postponement, the Board of Deputies umbrella body said, “It is highly regrettable that individuals have sought to deliberately disrupt a Jewish Culture Month event celebrating Jewish cultural heritage at the British Museum.”

“We will be working with our partners at the British Museum to reschedule this event as soon as possible,” they added.

At the launch earlier this month, Board of Deputies Acting President Adrian Cohen said the events were designed for Jewish and non-Jewish community members alike because “British Jewish culture is not something that exists in isolation.”

Board of Deputies Director of Culture, Education and Communities Liat Rosenthal added, “Jewish culture has never been something sealed behind glass. It is a living culture. An argumentative culture. A hospitable culture. A culture of memory and reinvention. Of stories carried across borders and generations, then remade anew.”

In recent months, the British Museum has been at the center of a controversy regarding the use of the term Palestine and Palestinian in some of its displays.

The museum in February removed some references to “Palestine” and people of “Palestinian descent” in some of its displays and is reviewing more cases, deeming them historically inaccurate and no longer neutral, following complaints by a pro-Israel group.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) said in a statement that it had raised concerns about using the term in gallery panels and labels describing the ancient Levant and Egypt.

Antisemitism has risen sharply in the UK since Hamas launched its war against Israel on October 7, 2023. Last year, some 3,700 incidents were recorded, second only to the 2023 total, according to the Community Security Trust, a nonprofit that monitors antisemitism and provides security for British Jews.

Times of Israel staff and JTA contributed to this report.