Brooklyn Museum Faces Criticism for Police Response to Protest

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The Brooklyn Museum has faced several artist-driven protests recently, including actions against a photography show in 2016 and mobilizations during the George Floyd movement. On May 31, a pro-Palestine protest led to unprecedented mass arrests by the NYPD’s riot squad, following a call to divest from actions in Gaza. Protestors claim museum officials falsely denied calling the police, despite eyewitness accounts. Furthermore, they accuse the museum of spreading false allegations of antisemitism and violence to discredit the protests. High-profile figures and elected officials condemned the alleged antisemitism, despite limited evidence. Protestors demand the museum apologize, drop charges against activists, accept their demands, and return confiscated protest art. The museum has not commented but previously acknowledged the police brutality while denying involvement in calling the police, citing the building’s status as city property.