The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York found itself at the center of controversy when it prevented two visitors from entering due to their Palestinian keffiyeh, a headscarf often seen as a symbol of Palestinian liberation.
This decision led to an apology from the institution.
Key Takeaways
- MoMA security mistakenly barred visitors with a Palestinian keffiyeh from entering the museum, identifying it as a banned item.
- The incident led to public outcry and a social media debate, highlighting cultural sensitivity issues.
- MoMA apologized, clarifying that keffiyehs were never on the prohibited items list, and reviewed their security policies.
Moma Apologizes After Mistakenly Barring Visitors Wearing Palestinian Keffiyeh
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York recently apologized for an incident where security staff prevented two visitors, Ju-Hyun Park and their friend Phuong, from entering.
This is due to mistakenly identifying a Palestinian keffiyeh as a prohibited banner.
The incident occurred on March 16, during a routine bag check, where the staff’s misinterpretation of the cultural symbol led to the denial of entry — despite attempts to find a compromise.
Public Outcry and MoMA’s Response to the Keffiyeh Incident
After being denied entry and subsequently re-entering the museum by concealing the scarf, Ju-Hyun Park criticized MoMA’s actions on social media, labeling them as “brazenly racist.”
The museum underwent a review process, determining the keffiyeh’s misidentification during bag screening.
They later issued an apology, stating, “We made a mistake and we apologize. Keffiyehs are not, and have never been, on the Museum’s list of prohibited items.”
Debate Over Cultural Symbols and Security Measures at MoMA
The prohibition policy at MoMA includes “banners, signs and flags,” along with any items that could endanger the art or visitors, leaving the final decision to the museum’s security team.
The museum’s stance on the keffiyeh sparked a debate, as some social media users shared their experiences of entering MoMA with the headscarf.
In contrast, others referenced a recent pro-Palestine protest at the museum as a possible reason for the incident.
