An investigation has been launched by the police after a painting of Lord Balfour, a politician linked to the creation of Israel, was damaged. Palestine Action reported that one of its activists had ruined a 1914 portrait of Lord Balfour at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. The painting had been slashed and sprayed with red paint, according to the group’s website. A video of the incident was posted on social media. No arrests have been made yet but the police have started an investigation.
Trinity College expressed regret over the damage caused to the portrait of Arthur James Balfour while it was open to the public. The college confirmed that the police had been informed of the incident and that support was available for those affected. In its statement, Palestine Action revealed that Lord Balfour was a colonial administrator and the signatory of the Balfour Declaration. They added that their activist had slashed and sprayed the painting as a homage.
Lord Balfour served as foreign secretary in 1917 when Britain made a declaration to support the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. This move followed the acceleration of Jewish immigration from the 1920s to the 1940s, prompted in part by Nazi persecution and the Holocaust in Europe. The Balfour Declaration ultimately formed the basis of the British Mandate for Palestine, which the League of Nations officially approved in 1922.
The incident has sparked controversy, particularly within the Jewish community as it has added to the tensions over the complexity of the historical legacy of Lord Balfour. The police are conducting inquiries into the case, and CCTV footage will be reviewed to identify the person responsible. The university community expressed their support for those affected by the incident and condemned such acts of vandalism
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