The British Museum has postponed a talk about Ancient Israel and Judah over security concerns after a group of attendees intended to ‘deliberately disrupt the event’.

The museum, dedicated to human history, was set to host the lunchtime talk today as part of a larger series dedicated to Jewish Culture Month. 

Dr Paul Collins, Keeper of the Department of the Middle East, was set to discuss political, cultural and imperial forces in the region between 900 and 50BC. 

Described as some of the ‘most significant’ objects the museum has, inscriptions and monuments from the region were set to be displayed and talked about. 

The collapse of the Canaanites – an ancient Semitic-speaking civilisation – and the emergence of other powers, such as Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Seleucid, in its place were also set to be discussion points. 

The rise of Judea – a Jewish dynasty between 141 and 37 BC – was also set to be explained.

But as of yesterday, the event, which had been in the works for ‘many months’ was postponed amid ‘security concerns’ that a ‘significant number of registered attendees’ were going to ‘deliberately disrupt the event’. 

The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the matter was ‘highly regrettable’, adding that they would ‘not allow actions of extremists to prevent the British public from enjoying these events’. 

‘We will be working with our partners at the British Museum to reschedule this event as soon as possible,’ they added in a statement on X.  

The British Museum (pictured) has cancelled a talk about Ancient Israel and Judah over security concerns after a group of attendees intended to ‘deliberately disrupt the event’

Pictured above, an email sent to ticket holders by The British Museum Ticketing Team confirming the event on May 28 has been postponed due to ‘security concers’ 

Historian Simon Montefiore said: ‘Dark times when a talk about Ancient Israel and Judah [sic] at the British Museum is cancelled ‘for security concerns’?’

He later added in a lengthy Twitter post: ‘The BM and its leadership are decent and well-meaning and have explained that they wished to save an event from disruption by bullying vandals.

‘But I am sure the BM realizes it is essential to announce a new event fast, lest it give the impression that the permission of tiny cadres of aggressive bullies are required before it hold events.

‘British cultural life is the right and exercise of civic and cultural freedom – a privilege of our liberal democracy – that does not require the permission of gangs of ideological activists nor can it cancelled or postponed nor endured at their beck and sufferance nor permitted with a bend of the knee to their permissions or veto.

‘But that is what this appears to be.’

And Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch weighed in, putting her at odds with former Tory Chancellor George Osborne, who is now British museum chairman.

She said: ‘Jewish Culture Month is meant to promote awareness of and celebrate Jewish culture in the UK. This decision achieves precisely the opposite.

‘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.

‘The government says it wants to combat antisemitism, it needs to tell publicly-funded institutions like the British Museum to do what’s necessary to put this event on. The Conservatives will always make sure that Britain feels a safe place for Jews.’

In a statement, the British Museum said it was ‘proud to support’ events recognising Jewish Culture month, ‘like many leading cultural institutions’ across the country. 

They added that the event had been ‘planned for many months as part of [their] commitment’ to education and cultural dialogue.  

‘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,’ it added.

‘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.

‘Following discussions with organisers and security partners, a joint decision was taken to postpone the event to a later date when it can take place in an environment that properly safeguards both the audience experience and the integrity of the programme itself.

‘This decision was made to protect the event — not to diminish it. We will continue to support Jewish Culture Month and remain committed to providing a space where history, culture and scholarship can be explored openly, respectfully and without disruption.’