Cambridge: Police have launched an investigation after a 110-year-old painting of Lord James Balfour, a politician linked to the creation of Israel, was damaged by pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Cambridge. A statement on the group's website said the painting had been "slashed" and sprayed with red paint, according to a BBC report.
In the clip that is going viral on social media, a woman can be seen spraying red paint before using a sharp object to slice open the canvas. The protest group claimed support "for the continued colonisation of Palestine hasn't wavered since 1917", according to Sky News. Notably, the painting of Lord Balfour was by artist Philip Alexius de Laszlo and was completed in 1914.
"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," said a Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson. The incident took place at Trinity College, part of Cambridge University.
"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," a spokesperson for the college said.
Lord Balfour was the UK 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" and has been seen by some historians as a starting point for the Arab-Israeli conflict. A pro-Palestinian group called Palestine Action called Balfour the "colonial administrator" and said the declaration paved the way for the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said he was "appalled by the moronic act of wanton vandalism", adding that perpetrators should face the full force of the law. Lord Walney, the government's adviser on political violence and disruption, called it an "outrageous" incident. "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," he said.
Notably, tensions are high in all countries due to the Israel-Hamas war. The Hamas-led Oct. 7 assault killed 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in another 253 being abducted, according to Israeli tallies. More than 30,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli offensive launched in response, according to health authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
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