St Fagans: Museum hits back after Farage rebuke over BLM display

Nigel Farage has attacked National Museum Wales for a Black Lives Matter display

National Museum Wales has said it was "honoured" to display Black Lives Matter placards after being criticised by Nigel Farage.

The former UKIP leader said the St Fagans display was "inappropriate," calling Black Lives Matter "violent".

The Cardiff museum display includes photographs and accounts from activists who took part in the protests.

National Museum Wales director general, David Anderson said "BLM activists, not museums, are the history makers."

Politicians and Race Council Cymru's founder criticised Mr Farage after the comments on his GB News show on Thursday, in a section of the show called "Woke Wales".

Mr Farage said: "There it is, the black power to the people, black lives matter.

"And, you know, we know that in the wake of the horrible death of George Floyd we know that this stuff swept the country but now we know what the Black Lives Matter organisation is all about.

"It wants to defund the police. It is Marxist. It has, in America, been extremely violent.

"I would have thought given all of those things, that was a very inappropriate thing for the National Museum of Wales to have done."

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National Museum Wales director general, David Anderson, said the organisation was "honoured that they entrusted their placards to us for display at St Fagans".

"Now if ever is the time to defend democracy and cultural rights; we must collect far more of the histories of black communities in Wales, not less," he wrote.

Race Council Cymru founder, Prof Uzo Iwobi, said: "Nothing amazes me when it comes to this individual, he constantly conveys disdain for marginalised people."

Labour's Dawn Bowden said she was was "very proud" of the museum.

And Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan said: "You know you're doing something right if Nigel Farage attacks you."

National Museum Wales director general, David Anderson, said the institution was honoured to display the BLM placards

National Museum Wales public history and archaeology head, Sioned Hughes, said collecting contemporary material was a core part of its work.

"It is important that we display these placards in the 'Wales is…' gallery to tell the story of the Black Lives Matter movement in Wales and its impact on communities," she said.

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