The pro-Palestinian protest demanding the museum “disclose and divest” resulted in reports of damage to artwork on the plaza.
The New York Police Department arrested 34 people at a pro-Palestinian protest at the Brooklyn Museum on Friday. The protest, organized by Within Our Lifetime, aimed to pressure the museum to disclose and divest from any investments linked to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Protesters blocked entrances, displayed banners, and caused the museum to close early due to concerns about damage and staff harassment.
The protest is part of a broader wave of pro-Palestinian actions across the U.S., including significant protests on college campuses. At the University of California, Santa Cruz, 80 people were arrested following the dismantling of a pro-Palestinian encampment. Chancellor Cynthia Larive stated that while the university respects peaceful protest, the encampment’s disruptions were harmful, and student demands for divestment from companies affiliated with Israel had been rejected by the University of California’s Office of the President. Across the nation, these campus protests have resulted in over 3,000 arrests.