The Missouri History Museum is being criticized for a decision to pull a public forum dealing with a broad range of race relations that included Palestinian issues. The forum, which was entitled “Ferguson to Ayotzinapa to Palestine: Solidarity and Collaborative Action” was planned for March 19 but was canceled by the museum at the last minute.
Community groups and student groups from Washington University in St. Louis that organized the event protested Thursday night and Friday over the cancelation, calling it “outrageous.”
Sourik Beltran, a student at Washington University and a primary organizer, said by phone on Friday that he was told at the last minute by phone earlier this week that the event was canceled—unless one major concession was made.
“She said the museum could not support the event unless we took out the Palestinian panelist and did not talk about Palestine,” said Beltran, referring to a message passed along by Melanie Adams, the managing director for community education and events for the museum.
