The UK’s Cambridgeshire Police have launched an investigation into art vandalism after a pro-Palestine protestor vandalised a more than a century-old painting of British politician Arthur James Balfour who supported the Jewish homeland. 

The accused vandal is reportedly associated with the organisation named Palestine Action. The group took to social media to share the video of the ‘art vandalism’. In the post, it stated that one of its activists had “ruined” a 1914 painting of Lord Balfour at Trinity College, part of the University of Cambridge.

It added, “Written in 1917, Balfour’s declaration began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by promising the land away — which the British never had the right to do.”

BREAKING: Palestine Action spray and slash a historic painting of Lord Balfour in Trinity College, University of Cambridge.

Written in 1917, Balfour’s declaration began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by promising the land away — which the British never had the right to do. pic.twitter.com/CGmh8GadQG

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) March 8, 2024

In the video, a woman protestor can be seen destroying a historic 1914 painting of Lord Arthur James Balfour on Friday (8th March). She defaced the portrait by spraying red paint and then slashing the artwork with a sharp object. The artwork was painted by artist Philip Alexius de László and it was completed in 1914. 

In another tweet, Palestine Action blamed the UK and its politician Arthur Balfour for its support for the creation of Israel using the hashtag “#BritainisGuilty”. It also added a link to an article in which the pro-Palestine group peddled the anti-Israel tropes. The group referred to Balfour as the “colonial administrator” alleging that the declaration paved the way for the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.

#BritainIsGuilty https://t.co/UPLLOsMpNa

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) March 8, 2024

Taking to X, UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden condemned the incident. He tweeted, “Appalled by the moronic act of wanton vandalism. Perpetrators should face the full force of the law.” 

Appalled by the moronic act of wanton vandalism. Perpetrators should face the full force of the law. https://t.co/DIPEcNcQNn

— Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) March 8, 2024

The government’s adviser on political violence and disruption Lord Walney called it an “outrageous” incident. He said, “We must not tolerate protesters thinking they can get away with senseless damage because they think the importance of the cause gives them the moral high ground to cause mayhem.” 

Regarding the incident, a Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said, “This afternoon we received an online report of criminal damage today to a painting at Trinity College, Cambridge. Officers are attending the scene to secure evidence and progress the investigation. No arrests have been made at this stage.”

Further, a spokeswoman for Trinity College said, “Trinity College regrets the damage caused to a portrait of Arthur James Balfour during public opening hours. The police have been informed. Support is available for any member of the college community affected.”

Balfour declaration 1917

Notably, Lord Arthur Balfour was the UK’s foreign secretary in 1917 when a declaration was made pledging Britain’s support for the establishment “in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”. Some Historians see it as a starting point for the Arab-Israeli conflict.

As Ottoman control weakened in the Middle East and Britain rose as a global power, Balfour’s declaration (2nd November 1917) said London would “view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” and work toward it – albeit without prejudice “the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities.”

This marked the first public support from a major power for a Jewish homeland. It significantly bolstered the burgeoning Zionist movement worldwide and influenced the subsequent interim British “mandate” rule of Palestine from 1918 onwards.

Recurrent Art vandalism in recent times

In recent years, defacing art has become a popular tactic for protests. Environmental activists, in particular, have vandalised or defaced paintings by renowned artists such as van Gogh, Vermeer, and Monet. Notably, this year, two women associated with an environmental group entered the Louvre and splattered soup onto the Mona Lisa. 

However, most of the targeted paintings were shielded or safeguarded in some manner, resulting in minimal damage. 

More recently, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have also vandalised art in New York. Just this week, a few dozen protestors disrupted the opening of an Israeli artist’s exhibition at a gallery in Manhattan, as reported by Hyperallergic. Last month, protesters similarly disrupted an event featuring an Israeli artist showcasing drawings depicting Oct. 7 at the Jewish Museum. Additionally, dozens of protesters gathered at the Museum of Modern Art, chanting “Free Palestine” in a demonstration against an exhibit.

Pertinent to note that anti-Israel protests have swelled in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. On 7th October, thousands of Hamas terrorists, from land, sea, and air, stormed into Israeli territories and killed more than 1,200 Israelis, maimed, beheaded men, women, and babies, raped and paraded women, and kidnapped over 230 Israeli and foreign nationals. This prompted Israel to launch an all-out war against the terrorist group Hamas. After the aerial bombardment of Gaza, the Jewish state also launched a military offensive ground operation in Gaza.