Artwork pulled from Manchester gallery after Palestine solidarity statement removed

Forensic Architecture is pulling an exhibition it was holding at the University of Manchester-run Whitworth Art Gallery after a statement declaring support for the Palestinian people was removed by the venue.

Part of the exhibition tackled Israel’s violence against Palestinians, which UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) said was “one-sided”.A statement at the entrance of the exhibition had read; “Forensic Architecture stands with Palestine”, outlining experiences of “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinian neighbourhoods by “Israeli police and settlers”. It continued stating that the Palestinian liberation struggle “is inseparable from other global struggles against racism, white supremacy antisemitism, and settler-colonial violence”.

Forensic Architecture, a Turner prize-nominated investigative group, called for the closure of its exhibition “with immediate effect” upon learning that the statement had been removed, the Guardian reported. The move comes following a campaign by UKLFI and a meeting between members of the Israel advocacy group and the university.

OPINION: The international community has normalised Israel’s colonial violence

UKLFI disputed the characterisation of its intervention as lobbying. It “expressed reasonable concerns”, the organisation told the Guardian.

In a statement provided by the University of Manchester, Alistair Hudson, director of the Whitworth Gallery, said: “We recognise the concerns expressed about the inclusion of that statement within the exhibition space and take these seriously, including regarding how it might be received by visitors to the gallery and around its potential impact on some communities in the city, community cohesion and fostering good relations.”