The Turner Prize ceremony was engulfed by anti-Israel rage on Tuesday as this year’s winner gave a speech accusing the Jewish state of “genocide” while pro-Palestine protesters staged a rally outside.
Jasleen Kaur, 38, took the stage wearing a Palestine scarf to accept the £25,000 award for her work exploring the lives and traditions of the Scottish Sikh community.
But Kaur’s acceptance speech took a political turn as she backed the anti-Israel rally and reiterated their call for the Tate to “sever ties” with Israel.
She said: “I want to echo the calls of protesters outside. They have gathered to make visible the demands in the open letter signed by – when I last checked – 1,302 signatories in just a week calling for you, Tate, to sever ties with organisations complicit in what the UN and the ICJ are finally getting closer to saying is a genocide of the Palestinian people.”
"This is not a radical demand. This should not risk an artist's career or safety. We need a proper ceasefire now, arms embargo now. Free Palestine."
The protests – organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) –prompted a strong counter-demonstration by Stop The Hate, a Jewish-led group.
The anti-Israel rally aimed to pressure Tate Britain to sever its ties with Israeli donors and artists, accusing them of complicity in what the PSC describes as Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
Stop The Hate condemned the PSC's actions, saying: “These actions aim to erase Jewish voices and contributions from public life. We are committed to confronting hate and prejudice wherever they arise and will not stand by while discrimination grows.”
Mark Birbeck, founder of Our Fight UK, a non-Jewish group supporting the counter-demonstration, echoed these concerns, criticising the PSC’s call for the Tate to sever its connections with Israeli philanthropists.
“Tate Britain is the target, and the message is clear. We cannot allow these efforts to divide the arts community or pressure institutions to turn their backs on Jewish patrons,” Birbeck said.
Birbeck emphasised that the counter-demonstration aimed to send a strong message to the Tate and other cultural institutions, encouraging them to resist political pressure and stand firm in their commitment to free expression.
“We want to give Tate the confidence to push back against this pressure,” he added. “Tate and other institutions should not be coerced into severing ties with their supporters over misleading accusations.”
The counter-protesters rejected the accusation of genocide, accusing the PSC of distorting facts to further their political agenda.
“Our Fight UK is committed to challenging this narrative,” Birbeck concluded. “Tonight’s protest is about standing up for truth, fairness, and artistic freedom.”
