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British Museum postpones Jewish culture month lecture over protest fears

The British Museum postponed a May 2026 lecture on the archaeology and history of ancient Israel and Judah, part of the UK's first official Jewish Culture Month, citing confirmed plans for large-scale disruption of the event by protesters. The decision drew widespread criticism from UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, free speech advocates, and Jewish community figures, while groups including Jewish Artists for Palestine argued the event lacked space for critical perspectives on Israeli state use of archaeology and erasure of Palestinian history; the rescheduled lecture is set for early June 2026 with a public livestream option.