A Seattle museum was temporarily closed after staff charged that a “Standing Together Against Hate” exhibit unintentionally supported Israel..
Wing Luke Museum staff, who are taking part in the strike on Instagram under the handle @wlm4palestine, said the exhibit was “[s] “We interpret anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism.” The museum explains that the exhibit explores “anti-Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander hatred, anti-Black hatred, and anti-Semitic hatred.”
The strike is being carried out by more than 20 employees who went on strike on Wednesday when the exhibition opened. The strikers are a mix of full-time and part-time staff.
“The majority of our strike group is made up of Wing Luke Museum’s most vulnerable employees – reception staff and part-time workers,” a post from @wlm4palestine read. “There are 22 WLM staff across departments and organisational levels who are still in solidarity with the strike. There are other staff in solidarity as well.”
Anti-Israel protesters at UCLA clash with police, blocking access to campus buildings
Workers at the Wing Luke Museum staged a walkout on Wednesday in opposition to an exhibit that they say “conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.” (iStock | Google Maps)
Among the officials’ demands was that the museum “…[s] They criticized the exhibition for “attempting to frame Palestinian liberation and anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism,” and anti-Israel protesters have called on the museum to “acknowledge the limited perspective presented in this exhibition.”
“The missing perspectives include those of the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim communities who are also experiencing increased violence, scapegoating and demonization as Zionist forces continue their genocide in Palestine,” the petition states.
Striking employees have also launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking compensation for unpaid wages, which had raised $3,939 as of Sunday afternoon.
“Due to the withholding of work, compensation may not be paid,” the campaign said. “The funds will provide economic relief to pay for rent, utilities, food, medical expenses, and other living expenses in Seattle. The funds will also support the work of staff on this strike (essential items, supplies, living expenses).”
UCLA police chief reappointed after response to anti-Israel protests widely criticized
Following the strike, the Wing Luke Museum issued a statement sympathetic to the strikers, describing the walkout as an “act of respect”.
“As an organization rooted in dialogue, we acknowledge and support the right of staff to express their beliefs and personal truths, and to this end, we hold space for a careful and thoughtful listening process with the intention of hearing multiple perspectives in pursuit of mutual progress,” Facebook’s statement read.
The museum’s support for the protests was met with criticism in the Facebook comments section.
The Wing Luke Museum is temporarily closed following the strike. (Google Maps)
“We are so disappointed in Wing Luke and its staff for endangering and isolating the lives of the Jewish community. As Asian people, we know the pain of that isolation all too well,” one commenter said.
“Why should one person’s opinion impose on everyone else what is and isn’t OK?,” wrote another Facebook user. “I think the people who walked out show why we need more exhibits like this, and more education in general. It’s fine to disagree and have a dialogue, but stating your demands as if they’re facts we can all accept, is going too far.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
Fox News Digital reached out to Wing Luke Museum and the striking employees for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
