Activists occupy British Museum over settlement sponsor ties

Pro-Palestine activists occupied the Great Hall of the British Museum on Saturday. The action occurred during the opening of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition in London. Demonstrators targeted the institution over its financial links to controversial sponsors.

The protest was organized by Energy Embargo for Palestine following an investigation. Reports revealed billionaire Igor Tulchinsky funded a community centre in Efrat. This location is an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank facing UK sanctions.

Tulchinsky sponsored the current exhibition at the museum. Green Party leader Zack Polanski called for a government investigation into this sponsorship. Activists argue the museum aligns itself with billionaires invested in illegal settlements despite new sanctions.

The group presented four specific demands to the museum leadership. They require an immediate end to all institutional ties with BP. Staff should also gain democratic control over future partnerships and event planning decisions.

Protesters want the BP lecture theatre renamed immediately. They also demand a commitment to reject funding from fossil fuel and arms companies. Lila Azad criticized the museum for partnering with entities fuelling genocide and climate breakdown.

Another investigation found the museum removed references to Palestine from displays in 2026. The group plans to unveil a People’s Tapestry created with local partners. This artwork shows the community vision for presenting history without corporate interference.