The museum’s relationship with BP dates back to 1996, and campaigners have long criticised the decision to take money from an oil company
Pro-Palestinian protesters have staged a sit-in demonstration inside the British Museum demanding that BP stops drilling for oil off the Gaza coast.
In footage shared on social media, activists, waving Palestinian flags shouted: “Your profits are covered in Palestinian blood”.
The demonstrators claim that BP and other oil and gas companies are fuelling the ongoing conflict in the region by signing a deal with Israel for 12 new oil and gas licences off the West Gaza coast.
In December, The British Museum announced a new £50 million deal with BP.
The demonstrators were seen holding banners that read: “BP Fuels colonial genocide”.
Energy Embargo for Palestine posted on X, claiming responsibility for the action.
A statement read: “We have just occupied the British Museum alongside comrades from the Free Palestine Coalition.
“We demand that the British Museum end its 10-year partnership with British Petroleum, an energy company profiting from Israel’s colonial genocide.
“On October 30th 2023, one month into the genocidal bombardment of Gaza, Israel granted gas licences off the coast of Gaza to BP and five other companies.
“We will not watch idly as energy companies based in Britain fuel Israel’s colonial genocide.”
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