Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum closes after staff walk out to protest exhibit

One of Seattle’s most popular museums is closed until further notice.

Employees at the Wing Luke Museum, located in Chinatown’s International District, staged a walkout Wednesday to protest a new exhibit that the museum said was intended to combat anti-Semitism.

An Instagram post created by the employees said they “suspended work to protest Zionist language in the new exhibit ‘Confronting Hate Together’.”

According to wsjhs.org, Confronting Hate Together is a “contemporary representation of racism, hatred, bigotry, and collective community action through localized stories in this region.” The purpose of the exhibition is to educate and empower communities to combat the rising tide of hatred. and racial violence in our communities today.

“We love the Wing Luke Museum and are always honored to steward the stories of our community members, many of whom have suffered the destructive harm of white supremacy, genocide and violence that is comparable to the experience of Palestinians in today,” the group of employees wrote. Instagram. “Our solidarity with Palestine should be reflected in our AA/NHPI institutions. This sets a dangerous precedent in emphasizing colonial and white supremacist perspectives and runs counter to the Museum’s mission as a community museum advancing racial and social equity.”

The museum responded on Instagram, saying “we recognize and support the right of our staff to express their beliefs and personal truths.”

Wing Luke said it is communicating with staff and hopes to reopen at a “future date.”

“After closing the museum this week to seriously listen and engage with our staff, the museum looks forward to opening its doors at a later date so that we can continue to serve our community in other necessary areas during this time,” the museum said. on social networks. “Please look for updates from us.

“We invite the public to come and explore the exhibition for themselves when we open, and we will offer free admission for the community to experience this powerful exhibition.”