The British Museum has said a Jewish event will go ahead in early June after being accused of “appeasing antisemites” for postponing it over protest fears.
The museum was hit by a wave of criticism including from historian Simon Schama, BBC journalist John Simpson and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for the decision.
Robert Halfon, a former Tory ministerial colleague of George Osborne, who chairs the museum, launched a stinging attack on the decision to put back a Jewish Culture Month event to a later date because of security concerns.
Ex-skills minister Mr Halfon told the Standard: “The British Museum should not be an un-British museum.
“It should not be appeasing antisemites, giving in to threats and bowing to people who want to boycott Israel.”
The postponement comes after the recent string of attacks on London’s Jewish community including the double stabbing in Golders Green.
The event, called “Ancient Israel and Judah in the British Museum”, had been set to take place on Thursday as part of the UK’s first nationwide Jewish Culture Month.
Dr Paul Collins, the museum’s Keeper of the Middle East Department, had been due to give a lecture on the archaeology and history of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah through artefacts held by the museum.
Former Chancellor Mr Osborne defended the decision to delay the event due to concerns that people were planning to disrupt it.
He highlighted a statement from the museum which stated: “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 British Museum fully recognises the importance of lawful protest and freedom of expression in a democratic society.
“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.”
However, in an updated statement later on Thursday, the museum said: “Alongside our partners at Jewish Culture Month, we are pleased that the rescheduled lecture, The Ancient History of Israel and Judah, will take place early next month.
“Booking details will be published on our website shortly.
“We expect strong demand and will also offer a livestream to make the event accessible to a wider audience.
“A respectful and secure environment for our visitors, speakers and colleagues remain our highest priority, and we are working closely with all relevant teams to ensure robust arrangements are in place, as would be expected for an event of this nature.”
Historian Simon Schama slammed the decision to postpone the event as “pathetic cowardice”.
Author Simon Sebag Montefiore said the postponement was a sign of “dark times,” according to Jewish News, while veteran BBC journalist John Simpson also branded it “pathetic”.
Mrs Badenoch said: “Jewish Culture Month is meant to promote awareness of and celebrate Jewish culture in the UK. This decision achieves precisely the opposite.”
She added: “Jewish acts and actors are now being routinely cancelled from events across the UK.
“As with the marches and protests going past synagogues and knocking on doors intimidating Jews, the end result is an erasure of Jews and Jewish culture from Britain's public space.”
David Wolfson KC posted on X: “The British Museum has cancelled a Jewish Culture Month event on Ancient Israel and Judah due to ‘security concerns’.
“If publicly-funded institutions cannot host such events without folding to pressure, serious questions arise about that funding. @britishmuseum @George_Osborne”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned the plan to disrupt the event.
“It is highly regrettable that individuals have sought to deliberately disrupt a Jewish Culture Month event celebrating Jewish cultural heritage at the British Museum,” it said.
“Jewish Culture Month has seen many of Britain’s great cultural institutions partner with us in celebration of British Jewish culture, community and creativity, and we will not allow the actions of extremists to prevent the British public from enjoying these events.”
It stressed it would work with the museum to reschedule the event “as soon as possible”.
