Natural History Museum investigates how Israel caption erased
'We have only just been made aware of this upsetting defacement and will be taking steps to rectify this as soon as possible'
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
The Natural History Museum is investigating how the word “Israel” was manually erased with what appears to be a red marker pen on the caption on one of its displays.
The exhibit is a reconstruction of a child’s face, and relates to the discovery of human remains in the Qafzeh Cave in Israel. But though the name of the cave is there, the word Israel has been vandalised.
In a statement, the NHM said: “We have only just been made aware of this upsetting defacement and will be taking steps to rectify this as soon as possible”. A spokesman said that an investigation was underway to see if the museum could identify the dauber.
Danny Stone, chief executive of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, wrote on Twitter: “Imagine being so totally obsessed with, and so hateful of Israel that you would go to the lengths of vandalising a piece of historical, factual, educational material to sate your own political infatuation.I hope [the museum} will act quickly to address this — but am sorry it has to”..
We have just been made aware of this upsetting defacement and will be taking steps to rectify it as soon as possible. Thank you for reporting it.
— Natural History Museum (@NHM_London) December 8, 2021
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