Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum Forced to Close After Climate Protestors Block Entrance

Members of the Extinction Rebellion (XR), a group for climate protestors, made a blockade in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, forcing it to shut its doors on Saturday.

Dressed in yellow boilersuits and facemasks, ART News detailed that XR activists descended upon the museum, turning out yellow smoke bombs and chaining themselves to a fence at its entrance.

Protestors are specifically asking the museum to break all ties with Dutch multinational bank ING Group, which they say finances projects boosting climate change.

The protesters further asserted that the financial sponsorship by ING Group goes against the museum's principles of environmental sustainability. An XR representative said of the museum's association with ING: "It is incomprehensible that the Rijksmuseum can allow itself to be financed by ING, the largest financial driver of the climate crisis."

Aftermath of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum Climate Protestors

The protest resulted in the museum being closed "until further notice," to guarantee the security of its visitors, staff, and its priceless artworks.

"Any action that jeopardizes the safety of our visitors and staff is unacceptable," a spokesperson from the Rijksmuseum declared, as shared by DW.

NL Times reported that police already intervened and arrested 33 protesters who had chained themselves to the fence. Removed from the site, authorities gave them an opportunity to continue their protest at the Museumplein in Amsterdam.

However, the activists did not want to budge, and this resulted in their arrest under the Public Demonstrations Act. According to the police, while they tried to follow the rules and restrictions, protesters refused to move along.

Trends of Climate Protests

The recent Extinction Rebellion group is one of the many movements that has seen climate activists attack cultural establishments as a way of compelling them to environmental action.

This year alone, The Art Newspaper learned that XR factions took over London's Science Museum. Similar to ING Group, they are calling for an end to the museum's partnership with coal-producing conglomerate Adani.

Since this incident, similar actions have taken place all over the world, as protesters seek to make institutions accountable for their ecological footprint.

ING Group responded to the protest by inviting XR for direct talks about their grievances.