British Museum director defends decision to postpone Jewish lecture

Nicholas Cullinan says cultural institutions ‘caught between opposing political pressures’ after row over event The director of the British Museum has said that cultural institutions are “caught between opposing political pressures”, after a row over the museum’s decision to postpone a Jewish culture month lecture over fears it would be disrupted by protesters. Nicholas Cullinan defended the decision, saying “freedom of expression does not require institutions to provide a platform for disruption”, in a lengthy statement shared on the British Museum website. The postponement of the talk on ancient Israel and Judah by Dr Paul Collins, the keeper of the museum’s Middle East department, less than 24 hours before it was due to take place, drew criticism from figures including the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, the shadow attorney general, David Wolfson, and the historians Simon Schama and Simon Sebag Montefiore. The museum said it received credible information in the days before the event that between 25% and 50% of ticket holders intended to disrupt it. Cullinan said the museum faced competing obligations, and noted that thousands of visitors, including school groups, would have