Climate Protestors Force Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to Close

Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum was blockaded by climate protestors from the Extinction Rebellion (XR) group on Saturday, forcing the museum to shut “until further notice.”

XR activists, wearing yellow boilersuits and facemasks, set off yellow smoke bombs outside the museum. Several protestors chained themselves to a fence by the entrance and demanded the Rijksmuseum cut ties with its main sponsor, the Dutch multinational bank ING Group.

According to XR, the bank finances projects that contribute to climate change.

An XR representative told the Dutch news agency ANP, “It’s incomprehensible that the Rijksmuseum can allow itself to be financed by ING, the largest financial driver of the climate crisis.” The representative3 added that the museum was enabling a “major polluter” to “hide its face behind famous works of art from Dutch history.”

The museum said it closed its doors to protect its visitors, staff, and artworks. “Any action that jeopardizes this is unacceptable,” the Rijksmuseum told ANP.

The police said they arrested 33 XR protestors who had chained themselves to the fence and moved them to another location. A police spokesperson said they were given the chance to demonstrate in Amsterdam’s largest square, the Museumplein, but the activists refused.

“The demonstrators were given some time to do so, but unfortunately, they did not comply with the instruction,” the spokesperson said. “In doing so, they violated the Public Demonstrations Act.”

ING responded by telling XR to address the bank directly. “We’re always open to dialogue,” the bank reportedly said.

Several museums and artworks around the world have been targeted by climate protestors over the last few years. In April, more than 30 activists from XR subgroup Scientists for Extinction Rebellion and Youth Action for Climate Justice occupied London’s Science Museum to demand it ends its partnership with the coal-producing conglomerate Adani.