National Museum of Wales say they will ‘defend democracy and rights’ after Farage attack on BLM exhibition
The Director of the National Museum of Wales has said that they are “honoured” to display placards from 2020s Black Lives Matter rallies after Nigel Farage used his GB News show to attack the exhibition.
David Anderson, Director General of the National Museum Wales, said that it was more important than ever to “defend democracy and cultural rights” and they “must collect far more of the histories of Black communities in Wales, not less”.
Nigel Farage had attacked the museum in a segment branded ‘WFT – Woke Wales’ on his GB News show, in which he said the display was “very inappropriate” because Black Lives Matter was “violent” and “Marxist”.
But he was heavily criticised for his comments by the museum, Welsh politicians and others who backed their decision to display the placards.
Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Heledd Fychan said “you know you’re doing something right if Nigel Farage attacks you,” praising the display as “excellent”. Labour Senedd Member Dawn Bowden meanwhile told him to “get knotted”.
📣 Black Lives Matter 📣
Placards used in #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations across Wales are now on display in the Wales Is gallery at St Fagans.The placards were donated @AmgueddfaCymru collection following demonstrations in the summer of 2020. https://t.co/RbqAzjl2GZ pic.twitter.com/N23PUAtO39
— Sain Ffagan|StFagans (@StFagans_Museum) March 7, 2022
The National Museum of Wales said: “We stand by our decision to display these BLM placards. At Amgueddfa Cymru, we are working towards representing the diverse experiences of people living in Wales today through the national collection.
“Communities across Wales continue to play an active part in the Black Lives Matter movement.”
David Anderson, the Director General, said: “BLM activists, not museums, are the history makers. We are honoured that they entrusted their placards to us for display at St Fagans.
“Now if ever is the time to defend democracy & cultural rights; we must collect far more of the histories of Black communities in Wales, not less.”
Professor Uzo Iwobi, the founder of Race Council Cymru, responded: “Nothing amazes me when it comes to this individual, he constantly conveys disdain for marginalised people.
“Well done National Museum of Wales for highlighting this historic moment in our lives.”
‘Core’
Nigel Farge had criticised the museum in a segment branded ‘WFT – Woke Wales’ by the GB News chyron.
“The ‘what the Farage’ moment is that that National Museum of Wales have decided that it is appropriate to place on display banners that took part in demonstrations last year for black lives matter,” he said.
“There it is – the Black Power to the People, Black Lives Matter. And, you know, we know that in the wake of the horrible death of George Floyd, we know that this stuff swept the country.
“But now we know what the Black Lives Matter organisation is all about. They want to defund the police. It is Marxist, it has in America been extremely violent.
“I would have thought given all of those things. That was a very inappropriate thing for the National Museum of Wales and to have done.”
The display at St Fagans Museum includes photographs and accounts by activists who took part, and a megaphone used at one of the protests and an information display to better inform the public.
Sioned Hughes, Head of Public History and Archaeology at Amgueddfa Cymru, said: “Collecting contemporary material is a core part of Amgueddfa Cymru’s work, to ensure that the national collection represents the diverse experiences of people living in Wales today and in the past.”
“It is important that we display these placards in the Wales is…gallery to tell the story of the Black Lives Matter movement in Wales and its impact on communities.”
The National Museum is a family of seven museums and a collections centre, which are all free to enter thanks to the support of the Welsh Government. Together, it is home to the nation’s art, history and science collections, which will continue to grow so that they can be used and enjoyed by both present and future generations.
The events and exhibitions programme is supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
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Please don’t give that idiot the oxygen of publicity, I begrudge him the oxygen of oxygen*.
I hope he chokes on his own poisonous dog-whistle.
*(With thanks to the marvelous and much missed Linda Smith)
Good strong statement from our National Museum. We have to all stand up to all the cancel culture far-right nationalist bullies.
We have to stand up to the cancel culture of any extremist faction. The stupid behaviour of certain factions last year where there were serious attempts to relegate or eliminate Welsh inside some of our Welsh cultural institutions is a warning that the over arching Eingl-Americanaidd supremacy attacks us from all directions. The more extreme aspects of BLM are just as corrosive as the Farage Falange.
The cancel culture is on the left lol, get it right!
Farage, the poor mans Lord Haw-Haw strikes again. Ignore what this fascist has to say.
It’s no wonder we normal British people despair at people like these Welsh idiots. How can anybody condone any praise or support for this incredibly corrupt organisation. PAY ATTENTION. These three black women have absconded with up to $90,000,000 ! What is more, there is no evidence of any support or help for any black organisations at all. And you dumbos are supporting these cockroaches! ALL LIVES MATTER What makes black people so special? There have been slaves for 10,000 years. If fact, the very word ” slave ” is from the Slavian countries where it all started. THE FIRST… Read more »
A grasp of history that is abysmal and it went goes downhill rapidly from there.
“Slavery is happening in this country”? You mean Wales, right? If so, prove it.
Farage is simply a publicity seeking non entity. Ignore everything he says and he will no longer have a voice for his racist extremism.
On a channel which will pick up on the slightest reasons to denigrate Wales and Scotland on a daily basis, it comes as no surprise that Mr Nigel ‘Black Lives DON’T Matter, wokey upstarts, how dare they stand up for themselves against racist oppression’ Farage has seized an opportunity to beat up black people and Wales in one swoop. He couldn’t possibly resist it could he? His reference to the ‘horrible death of George Floyd’ cannot provide cover for a man who states that the Black Lives Matter movement ‘has in America been extremely violent’ while failing to condemn any… Read more »
I think the news station Farage works on should be shut down along with RT news.
We need more institutions to take a stand against fascism like the museum
It’s called preserving history, nigel. It’s what museums do.
You lot seem to understand that just fine when it comes to statues of brutal colonialist slave traders.
The thing is, I expect that a privately educated millionaire stock trader can see that logical inconsistency just fine.
It’s just that logical consistency just does not matter in the world people like farage, aaron banks, steve bannon, trump and all the rest of putin’s western lapdogs have set out to build.
Preserving BLM history for fascism, demanding the removal of correct and truthful history of the masses
It’s not about black or white history it’s about welsh history
Won’t be visiting til these are removed
You won’t be missed.
I’m sure you’ll be missed
What, do you mean Farage & GB News? Great idea. If so, it’s a big thumbs up from me. Yeah, right up! 👍😱🇬🇧
Given predictive text I am sure that correspondents didn’t mean ‘missed’ but the usual state in which he seems to be.
I have never really understood that is meant by “woke”. But if it means the antithesis of Farage, I am proud to embrace and own the label.
A truly remarkable man who saved us from the eu and now the very much needed POWER NOT POVERTY campaign brilliant.
Is it April Fools Day already?. When the circus closes its curtains the clowns come out to play. 🤡👍 #Brexit
You are licking the boots of a quisling who has openly expressed his admiration for his master, Vladimir Putin. Farage supports the invasion of Ukraine — he sees the slaughter as a fitting punishment for the Ukrainians who dared to wave EU flags while they were protesting against his fellow Putin stooge, Victor Yanukovych, in 2014.
Spot on .. these left wing nationalist have got a Scooby Doo
Fairweather fascist Nigel Farage is a nobody who still thinks he’s a somebody. Why doesn’t he do us all a favour and Sod off to America and become Trump’s full-time personal assistant with responsibility of attending to his bald spot and waxing his palms.
I have a better suggestion but I can’t print it here
Indeed so. The best retort is what we’d loved to say but can’t. 😉
As Heledd says, you know you are doing something right when Nazi Nigel attacks you. My God, I loathe the little goose-stepping sh*t.
The thing about Farage is that, in whichever photograph he is seen – the one chosen to accompany this article being a case in point – is that he actually looks as though he is addressing a Nuremberg Rally.
Why give that hateful little traitor publicity?
I won’t be going until it’s removed
Go on Farage.. …. Out of Europe well done
It’s a pity that so many of BLM’s leadership have proven to be criminals, and so many of its membership too. I saw earlier that yet another of the founders is being prosecuted for fraud and embezzlement. Theyare in it for themselves and don’t really care about bettering the lives of a black people. Those that help them, especially with exhibits like this, should be ashamed.