The British Museum in London postponed a lecture on “Ancient Israel and Judah in the British Museum” scheduled for Thursday as part of Jewish Culture Month, citing security concerns.

Paul Collins, Keeper of the Department of the Middle East, was slated to give an hour-long talk on how “the histories of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah can be illuminated by the archaeology and art of the wider ancient Middle East,” focusing on the artifacts preserved in the museum.

The museum said in a Wednesday announcement that the event would take place at an unspecified later date.

“In recent days, we were informed that a significant proportion of registered attendees were individuals intending to deliberately disrupt the event, preventing others from participating in good faith and undermining the purpose of the programme,” the statement read.

“The British Museum fully recognises the importance of lawful protest and freedom of expression in a democratic society,” it added. “Equally, we have a responsibility to ensure that events hosted within the Museum can proceed safely, securely and without intimidation for speakers, staff and visitors alike.”

Members of Jewish Artists For Palestine were reportedly registered for the event, but it was unclear which groups were planning protests.

Jewish Culture Month is the first event of its kind in the United Kingdom, organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The festivities opened on May 15 and run through June 16, and include more than 100 events celebrating Jewish........

© The Times of Israel